《(Small Exploits)》


 Chapter 1

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    Leo


    Leo groaned, the disoriented man''s head spinning in a daze while he laid out on his back in some brush. The abrupt sunlight made his eyes squint in irritation as he tried to get his senses to work properly, but the task was even more difficult as his ears hummed with a faint ring, like there was a loud explosion that was set off next to them.


    He shifted his head around and became a wash with total confusion as his eyes started to adjust to his new environment. ¡°Where...am I?¡± He muttered to himself as he shakily got to his feet, his chest feeling tight from landing on his back, hard.


    The last thoughts on his mind guided him back to where he was at home, on his computer, stretching out in his very comfortable chair, and browsing through a few online videos. It was another normal weekend at his apartment, and he was relaxing while he enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the evening, but then, without warning, everything went black.


    Not in the sense that he just blacked out, but it was like he was in a pure black void. The darkness was so dense that he couldn''t even see his hand if he placed it in front of his face, and after that, gravity seemed to just pull away. He started falling for a few moments until his back hit the ground just hard enough to knock the wind out of him, and then the darkness popped out of existence as if someone flicked on a light switch.


    Gazing around to get a better sense of his surroundings, he seemed to be in what looked like a pretty generic forest, as large and thick oak trees dotted closely around him. As the sunlight split through the trees and warmed his body ever so slightly, he was more bewildered than afraid at the sudden relocation. When he got to his feet, he started to walk around with some hesitation.


    Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted out for anyone in the area. ¡°Hello?!¡± He called out while wandering around a few feet, hoping that there was at least someone close by.


    The very confused man tried to recall the details of his time in the void, but he was drawing a blank, as there was absolutely nothing that he could see.


    Furrowing his brow, Leo attempted to analyze the situation. ¡®I probably wasn¡¯t kidnaped, no one seems to even be around. Wasn''t like I got drunk at a party, I was alone at my place and I don''t care much for alcohol. Doesn''t feel like a dream, I would have known since I lucid dream fairly often, and this feels ¡®very¡¯ real. Damn it, what the hell happened?¡¯ The train of thought finished as his face scrunched up in a perplexed irritation, failing to figure out how he ended up at his current location.


    After a few minutes of yelling into the forest, while still trying to unravel the mystery of his circumstances, he started to push all that to the back of his mind. He knew he had to get his priorities in order because he was in a forest in the middle of god knows where, so survival had to be at the top.


    Thinking back to the basic survival rules he knew that he needed to get water, food, and shelter, in that order, and he needed to find a source of water fairly quickly.


    ¡®Gotta get my bearings if I don''t wanna trek around in circles, so I need a good view of the sun to judge where I should go.¡¯ He looked up at the light peeking through the trees, his mind beginning to wander while he casually searched for a clear line of sight to the sky.


    ¡®It''s a bit warm, but it was the middle of winter. Don''t tell me I''m in the southern hemisphere, god this makes no sense¡­ Well I should probably make a simple fire starter, nights are still co-¡¯ His thought instantly halted with narrowed eyes toward the sky.


    ¡°No...¡± He uttered in a hard tone of denial as he picked up his pace, desperately trying to find a large enough opening to view the sky.


    ¡°No... No.. No. No!¡± He repeated as he frantically ran toward an opening in the forest, but then stopped dead in his tracks when he arrived at a small clearing, and his face contorted to that of complete shock.


    ¡°This¡­ What¡­ How?!¡± He muttered incoherently to himself and dropped to his knees at the sight before him.


    In the sky sat two suns, solar streaks feeding into each other as they slowly orbited around one another.


    ¡°Where the fuck am I?!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Lost in a forest.. Stuck on another world¡­¡± Leo repeatedly muttered dejectedly, while he continued to trek through the forest, his back sore from sleeping on the ground for the past two days.


    The strain of dehydration was starting to seriously take effect on his body, and his only relief was from chewing on fresh bush leaves, because he didn''t want to test his luck with mystery berries. He chose to head west, preferring to follow along declines on the forest floor, hoping to come across a downhill stream, although he would even settle for some stagnant puddles at this point.


    ¡°Stuck on ano-¡± His lifeless repetitions broke instantly, frozen in place as all of his senses heightened beyond what he thought his body was currently capable of.


    Inhaling deeply through his nose, he felt the fresh moisture in the air fill his lungs, and his body screamed for more of the life-giving liquid. ¡°Rain? No...¡± He remarked softly upon seeing that the sky was crystal clear.


    His weary body stood stock still in the near deafening silence and shut his eyes to focus on the sounds echoing through the forest, before they shot open at the rumbling noise of the relief to his physical pain calling to him.


    He immediately stumbled as fast as he could manage toward the direction of the rushing water, his body aching desperately for an end to the pain. He tripped more than a few times as he got closer to his savior, but frantically clawed his way back to his feet whenever it happened, until he finally arrived next to a river that parted the forest flowing away from a large waterfall further upstream. The mental alleviation he felt at the sight of it stunned him for only a moment, before he rushed forward and unceremoniously dunked his head into the cool clear water.


    When he finally pulled his head out after guzzling the refreshing liquid, he immediately collapsed onto his back and stared up at the sky. He was transfixed by the two suns, both having a slightly more orange tint than the one back home. Closing his eyes, he finally had time to properly think about his situation, now that he found a source of water.


    Leo sighed, his body feeling lighter as relief started to slowly spread through his limbs. ¡°Well¡­ Going home probably isn''t an option...¡± He thought aloud as he looked up at the flaming twins.


    Frowning, he took a moment to really think about his current predicament. He had to admit to himself that even if he did find his way back, there was nothing to really motivate him there. Being a solo game dev with not much in the way of a social life and only a few friends online didn''t exactly feel like something he wanted to expend the effort in journeying back to, especially when his current location was on another fucking planet.


    ¡®Yeah, just look on the bright side. All I really did in my free time was play games, watch YouTube, and watch anime¡­ Wait¡­ Was I isekai''d?¡¯ He thought to himself before he sat up right, and contemplated a few tropes in anime.


    Likely still under the effects of his delirious dehydration, he started calling out a bunch of commands while waving his hands around. ¡°Menu, Hud, stats, skills, abilities, inventory, console?¡± He finished a little disappointedly, while the only thing he managed to actually achieve was looking like a complete idiot, but that was not entirely unsurprising.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tilting his head down a little sullenly, he resigned himself back to thought. ¡®Nope, not a game. And here I was hoping to put my knowledge of exploiting systems to the test.¡¯ He sadly thought and glanced down stream, figuring that if there was any civilization on this planet, then something should be along this river.


    Resigning himself to his current situation, he was about to start his trek along the bank, but a blade appeared next to his neck before he could move from his spot.


    ¡°Aw shit¡­¡±


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria took up a posting as a guard for a border town when she was drafted to serve in Selaria''s army. The guard was an offshoot of the military, whose duty was to protect the people and surrounding areas of their station, but recently has doubled as a growing military support system.


    There hasn''t been a major conflict between the races for a few generations, but recent tensions between the two most powerful, Elves and Dwarves, has put all the others on guard. She hoped that if, more like when, war broke out between the two, that Selaria could remain neutral.


    Seeing as Selaria''s trade is tied heavily to both empires, neither would want to disrupt their own trade by attacking the others. Unfortunately for the other races, any who traded heavily to one side were sanctioned by the other.


    ¡®Hopefully we can maintain our balance.¡¯ It was an optimistic thought, which ultimately made her let out a resigned breath.


    The watchful guard was on her patrol along the river as she enjoyed the calming sounds of the forest and running water, only a few miles out from the town she was stationed, Telnar. The route was only up to the waterfall and back, but she liked to stay there for an hour or two to simply enjoy the freedom. She always had a habit of stressing out when too much was on her mind, so the ambiance took a load off her shoulders while she was there, forgetting about memories of the past and ever looming threats of war.


    She was almost to her destination when the sound of a rustling movement from the forest drew her attention, and she reflexively ducked into the tree line to see what was frantically rushing towards the river. Not a moment later and what looked like a strangely colored elf burst out of the tree line, stopped for a second, and then rushed over to the river in a stumble. The mystery person submerged their head into the water as Elaria moved slowly within the tree line to get a better view, taking great care to not make a sound.


    As she circled around to make out the features of the questionable individual, she found herself in a bit of a shock. This person looked like a mish mash of traits from a bunch of different races. The body shape of an elf, the height of a tiefling, the facial hair of a dwarf, the tan skin of a dryad, sparse hair along their arms and legs like if they were part beast clan. But all of that wasn''t what she was most shocked by, what was most shocking is that this was a male.


    The birth rate of Selarins are ten females to every one male, and this is a middle average compared to the other races. Beast clans have twenty to one and dwarves have two to one. While the dryads and tieflings are females only, but are able to mate with any race.


    ¡®A male out here on his own¡­¡¯ Her mind began to drift at the opportunity before her morality crashed into those thoughts. ¡®No! I will not use another like how I...¡¯ She let the thought trail in a bit of self disdain.


    The strange man waved his arms around while speaking short phrases in his tongue. ¡®I wonder what he''s saying, is it a spell or something?¡¯


    Elaria considered that if he actually turned out to be a mage, then she should proceed with caution when attempting to confront him, so she needed to get close because it was the only way to not end up getting herself killed. She chose to sneak up behind the strange man, who sat up from laying out on his back and gazed down the river.


    With her sword drawn, she placed it lightly against his neck, and he let out a short phrase in his tongue, which she could probably guess the meaning of.


    Gesturing the sword lightly, she got the man up to his feet to face her. His face changed from worry as his gaze traced along the blade to it''s wielder, becoming that of total-


    ¡®Astonishment?¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Standing in front of Leo was a woman that looked like someone morphed a garden snake into the body shape of a very slender human female, her sleek curves momentarily drawing his eyes to her hips.


    She was roughly his height, at five foot five, and had smooth leafy light green scales that slowly shrunk in size just under the jaw, which also faded into a lighter hue as they continued down beneath her clothing.


    She had large eyes that were a cross between that of a human and lizard, light amber with the frame being quite wide and almond shaped.


    The contour of her head was similar to that of a snake, smoothing up from the back of her neck, adding to her sleek reptilian features. The extent of her snout was relatively short and narrow, as her facial characteristics were overwhelmingly feminine, and her face appeared way more animated than one would think for a lizard person, as she was giving him an obviously curious look with her head slightly cocked.


    She had a tail that tapered out from behind her, it was about half her body length and arced to her left, most likely to help balance the sword in her right hand, which made him notice her claw-like nails that narrowed and curved ever so slightly. She stood clad in light leather armor that covered her joints and stomach, the rest being lightly padded cloth, with a mix of leather straps holding her armor and a few pouches in place.


    Though his fascination and slight physical interest in the mystery woman was immense, his concern was more toward the half sword she was pointing just a few centimeters from his neck.


    Leo''s analytical mind raced as a flurry of questions and educated guesses raced through his mind while he stared at the lizard woman. ¡®Okay, intelligent life is indeed on this planet. Are there more than one intelligent species? The sword, medieval garment, and alien race hints at fantasy. Would fantasy mean there''s magic? No, best not get my hopes up again¡­ I wonder if there''s a monarchy. What religions, if any, are prevalent? If I trip over any cultural customs, what punishments could I face? Oh god, what are the laws?¡¯


    His thoughts paused at the realization of where he was staring during his storm of speculations, while one final question exited his mouth as he stared back up to meet her eyes, seeing that she was giving him a coy look.


    ¡°Why does a lizard woman have breasts?¡±


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    ¡®He''s staring at my chest, oh gods, he''s just ogling my chest!¡¯ Elaria''s thoughts screamed excitedly to herself, before reason slammed back into her.


    ¡®Wait! Calm down and think. This man is out on the border, possibly lost, but more likely a spy. For who he is spying for is anyone''s guess, given his appearance. I''ll have to take him back to the outpost for interrogation. I hope he isn''t too tight-lipped, it would be tragic if we sent him back to the capital to be tortured.¡¯ Her thoughts paused with a bit of sadness that drew up unwanted memories, but it was brushed away when the man blinked out of his daze.


    ¡®Maybe I could enjoy myself before that happens.¡¯ She gave him a coy look.


    ¡°Wy dosl arzdw oman veb asts?¡± The man said in his language.


    Elaria frowned slightly. ¡°Right, language barrier.¡± She remarked with a resigned sigh, while reaching into one of her pouches for a translation necklace.


    She offered the enchanted item to him, and gestured for him to put it on. His eyes narrowed in confusion, which made her question if he had never seen such a commonly used item before.


    When he got a better look at the necklace, his dark brown eyes seemed to go wide, as if she handed him a stack of gold coins. It was only a translation necklace, most people wore them, and guards carried a spare or two just in case someone didn''t have one. The state he was in, and his apparent surprise at the item made her consider that he might not be a spy, and was more likely a runaway slave.


    Elaria began to speak as soon as the man put on the necklace. ¡°So, do you understand me no-¡± She was cut off by his loud and excited yell.


    ¡°FUCKING MAGIC?!¡±


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 2

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    Leo


    ¡°FUCKING MAGIC?!¡± The words left his mouth as soon as the necklace started translating, and the outburst caused the woman in front of him to tense up a bit.


    He realized that there was still a sword pointed at him, which caused him to quickly come to the logical conclusion that self preservation trumped nerding out, thus he calmed himself and decided to think about the possibilities later.


    His arms raised a little more as the woman pricked his neck with the tip of her sword, a reminder of his current situation. ¡°Uh, apologies for the outburst. My name is Leo, and I have been lost for the past two and a half days.¡± He introduced himself with a slight unease in his voice, but tried his best to show proper composure in an otherwise insane situation.


    The woman raised an eyebrow, or what would pass for one on a snake woman with not a trace of hair. ¡°Hm... My name is Elaria, border guard in Selaria''s royal army. You are trespassing on her majesty''s soil, so Identify your race and affiliation.¡± She demanded with a wary stance, but he could swear that her eyes looked almost hungry, which made him pray that they didn''t eat sapients.


    He winced slightly when she pricked his neck again to provoke an answer. ¡°Well my race is human, and as for affiliation, I guess I don''t have one anymore.¡± He responded with a slight frown, realizing that he might be the only human on the planet if she didn''t know what he was at a glance.


    Elaria cocked her head while her eyes studied him with a sharp intensity for a few moments, their glossy shine catching the light as they traced over him. ¡°Then what land did you hail from?¡± She asked him with a little more of a relaxed tone as the light green scales on her body untensed.


    He slightly cringed at the question, knowing that the truth might sound completely insane, which would definitely prompt a negative reaction if she didn''t believe him. ¡®Should I be honest? Probably, pulling a story out of my ass might complicate things if I''m pressed for more information. That and I am a terrible liar without anything to back it up.¡¯ He mentally sighed and hoped for the best that his situation warranted an exception to trespassers will be stabbed.


    Taking in a deep breath he resolved to answer truthfully. ¡°It''s on another world as far as I can tell, I simply popped onto this one two days ago.¡± He responded with as straight a face as he could manage, not wanting to show his slight fear toward how she might take the information.


    The soldier stiffened as she stood motionless in front of him, and her head tilted down a little while her eyes shifted around slightly as if she was deep in thought. With a twitch of her tail every so often, the minutes passed by, and he decided to try and snap her out of her trance.


    ¡°Hello? ¡­ Hey? ¡­ Elaria!¡± The loud shout jolted the dazed woman out of her thoughts, and as she flinched she almost swung the sword across his neck.


    ¡°Eh! ... Oh, um¡­ Sorry...¡± She stammered, then audibly gulped.


    Shaking the near terror of the accidental swipe at his life, his curiosity pushed himself to ask the obvious. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± He inquired, while a bit concerned by her reaction.


    ¡®She didn''t seem to be surprised, nor did she call me a liar. I wonder how common my situation is?¡¯ The thought floated around with a tinge of hope, that maybe there was a way home, but the opportunity to explore this alien world would most likely make him choose to stay if given the option.


    The guardswoman further relaxed a bit, leveling the sword away from him to point toward the ground at her side, probably not wanting to kill him by mistake, which he very much appreciated. ¡°How do you know this is another world?¡± She asked cautiously.


    He released a relieved breath and glanced up at the sky. ¡°Well... One, my world only has one sun. Two, there are only humans on my world. Last but most certainly not least, this one seems to have magic.¡± He stated with certainty, but nearly faltered at the end with disbelief at stating it aloud.


    ¡®Yeah¡­ Definitely not in Kansas anymore¡­¡¯


    The reptilian woman seemed like she was about to go into another trance, but he quickly asked a question before that could happen. ¡°Is it common for people to appear here from other worlds?¡±


    Her head jerked up to look at him, and he could see her tremble ever so slightly, like she was in front of something that she wanted desperately to get away from. ¡°Well, I''ve heard that objects and items can be summoned from other worlds in a ritual that is only known to arch mages, but it''s apparently a very expensive process. Rumors say that it''s only achieved every few decades, as the process has to be very precise. One mistake and it just fails.¡± She said with a furrowed brow, or what could pass for a brow.


    He raised an eyebrow at the term objects. ¡°And people?¡± He inquired with a bit of concern written across his face, because at least having the option to go home would be nice.


    She was obviously avoiding direct eye contact, which definitely flew a bright red flag that screamed that she didn''t want to say anymore. ¡°Well¡­ I only know that an adult dragon is sacrificed, but that could just be a rumor. Also three of the last twelve eras started with the summoning of a person.¡± She told him with a slight tremble.


    ¡°And how much time does an era last?¡± Leo probed, not liking the prospect of having to kill a fully grown dragon to get home, but it was just another reason not to go back, and one that sounded very valid.


    ¡°Anywhere from forty to seventy thousand years.¡± Her reply sank like a rock to the pit of his stomach.


    ¡®Well any info regarding them is probably dust, so it looks like I''m not getting home any time ever.¡¯ He pretty much permanently shelved any prospect of ever seeing earth again.


    A moment of awkward silence hung between the two before she spoke up. ¡°Um, well I should take you to Telnar, that''s the town that I am stationed at, and bring you to the head of the guard there.¡± She remarked while gripping the sword at her side a little tighter.


    He immediately agreed upon seeing the small tell, not wanting to get into a physical conflict with an armed soldier. She gave him a few rations while they started toward the town. The food was only some berries and dried meat, but after munching on just bark strips and bush leaves out of fear of eating something poisonous, the taste was a god send.


    The two of them walked in relative silence for about twenty minutes, before Leo decided to start up a conversation. Since Elaria was no longer trembling, having relaxed her posture considerably, he once again broached the subject about the other times people were summoned.


    He instantly regretted it, seeing as she stiffened slightly and regained some alertness. ¡°Well they were era''s ago as much apart, so only the general information is known, with stories and fables mixed in. Each summon was ordered by a kingdom''s ruler, with a dragon sacrificing themselves for their ruler. The dragon bit is said to be just a rumor. And each summon brought with them the knowledge and power from their world, giving that kingdom the ability to conquer and enslave the other races within only a few years...¡± She explained with a hesitant tone, while wearing that same look that told him that she didn''t want to discuss further, and he took notice that her tail twitched slightly as she finished.


    ¡®Well fuck¡­¡¯ He suddenly, and rightly, did not want the infamy that was associated with being from another world.


    ¡°But what happened to the summons after the conquests?¡± He questioned further, not expecting a happy ending.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I don''t know about the two before the previous one¡­¡± She paused, and grimaced as she continued, her tail giving off another slight twitch as she started. ¡°The last one was an era ago, and the dragons put their differences aside to unite and wipe out the entire kingdom, race and all. They also banned that specific summoning practice.¡± She finished.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He voiced with a bit of dread, noting that he was really not supposed to be here, but his thoughts paused for a moment as he realized that there was a crucial bit of unanswered information in her story.


    Leo turned his head to Elaria and narrowed his eyes a bit, believing that he may have found the bit of information she wanted to avoid. ¡°But what happened to that summon specifically?¡± He asked her directly, and she immediately stopped walking, her eyes incapable of looking him in the face as she stared off to the side.


    She pursed her lips, and appeared to be taking a few moments to consider her words before speaking. ¡°Um, well... Their body was destroyed¡­ And their soul was put in an infinitely looping spell that¡­ Tears it apart and reassembles it¡­¡± She answered slowly and a little quietly, each word filled with a tinge of fear.


    His eyes widened and his brow arched farther than he thought they could. ¡°Uh, but that bit could be a fable, just another rumor¡­ Right?¡± He asked with a hint of desperation that was very much evident in his voice.


    The frightened human noticed that she had placed a hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword, which in no way relieved his worries, and he took a slightly cautious step back. ¡°Well, no¡­ The dragons fixed the spell at the base of the destroyed capital, as a monument for everyone to see¡­¡± She finally disclosed, now staring at his face to further gauge his reaction.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Was all he said before running at a dead sprint into the forest.


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    ¡®Damn it! What did you think was going to happen, telling him all that crap?!¡¯ Elaria''s thoughts continued to scream at her as she chased after the fleeing man.


    ¡®The first potential fuck in nearly a year and I had to say, hey if the dragons find out who you are then you might be tortured for all of eternity!¡¯ She knew that that reason for wanting to get him back wasn''t the main one, nor was it even close to being an important one, but her emotions tended to override reason when she was stressed.


    The almost nobody faced selarin was, after all, walking with someone that could possibly kick off a new era, so her feeling stressed could even be considered an understatement. She thought about pulling out her sword, but harming him that much would anger her superior. She also didn''t know how durable he was, so trying to knock him out could cave in his skull for all she knew.


    He was running in front of her, barely out of arm''s reach as she took a few swipes at his shirt to stop him. ¡®Ah! I could have jumped multiple ranks if I just kept my mouth shut and brought him back peacefully.¡¯ Her thoughts rang around in her head as she leapt up onto his back, which sent them both rolling down a brush covered hill.


    As soon as they reached the bottom of the hill, while spaced apart by four or five feet, the two of them looked right into each other''s eyes. They both panted on the ground as they were winded from the short but vigorous dead sprint that tired them out a little.


    The summon looked to his left, and Elaria traced the gaze of his dark brown eyes to a flat and visible clearing, and looking back she saw that he was readying to fling himself up and start running again.


    The increasingly agitated woman placed her palms on the ground, readying to also push herself up to give chase, while her claw-like fingernails dug slightly into the dirt in frustration. This was supposed to be her calming stroll through the forest.


    ¡°Don''t you dare¡­¡± She growled, not wanting to have to run him down again.


    He smirked at her irritation. ¡°You smug...¡± She snarled in a low annoyance as he launched himself back up for another sprint.


    Elaria tried to do the same, but screamed out loudly as a jolt of pain traveled up her leg. She peered down to see a very twisted ankle, and the sight of it caused her to start cursing to herself. A swirl of emotions crashed into her when she considered the consequences of the injury, making her begin to tear up.


    Her post was the bare minimum when it came to maintenance, so she was probably in the least paid bracket of the army, on top of being somewhat fresh from training. So getting an injury under these circumstances, even a minor one, would basically cripple her new life before it even started.


    ¡®I''ll be off the guard for weeks if not months without pay, just so this could heal properly. I have enough saved for maybe a week at most on my own. Getting a job for anything physical would be out of the question and healers are damn expensive, I have nowhere near enough for it. And if I go back to¡­ No I won''t!¡¯ Her thoughts crushed her further and she started to break down from her disastrous situation, sobbing heavily as she was overwhelmed by a rush of emotions.


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo heard a scream from behind him as he began to sprint through the forest again, but It wasn''t angry or commanding, it was the kind of pained scream that sent a shiver up his spine that made him wince.


    Spinning around to look back at the source, he saw his pursuer laid out on the ground with a very obvious injury, causing his conscience to creep up on him. ¡®No... This is your way out Leo, just turn back around an-¡¯ The thought was cut off as she began to cry.


    With a resigned sigh he walked back over to her, knowing that if anything she was just doing her job and it was his fault that she was even chasing him in the first place.


    The sobbing woman seemed oblivious to his presence as he knelt down over her, her eyes closed and fists clenched as she cursed at herself.


    He looked at her with a mixture of deep guilt and pity. ¡°In for a penny¡­¡± He sighed out, and the words shocked the weeping wreck out of her breakdown.


    The cripled guard''s eyes narrowed while her face scrunched up in indignation. ¡°The hell do you want?¡± She snapped, but her pitiful state begged for help.


    ¡°Get on my back.¡± He commanded as he turned around in a crouch and gestured for her to mount him, but received a scoff for his troubles.


    ¡°Is this some kind of-¡±


    ¡°Shut up and get on my back so we can head to this Tellar or whatever.¡± He ordered with an annoyed tone, and she stared at him for a few moments before hobbling onto his back.


    Elaria sighed as she got a good grip around his shoulders. ¡°It''s called Telnar.¡± She said with a hollow irritation, but let out a small pained cry when he stood up a little too quickly.


    He winced at the sound, and made an effort to be more delicate with his passenger. ¡°Hurts that bad huh?¡± He remarked a bit timidly while punctuating his words with an apologetic tone.


    His injured passenger huffed, and tightened her grip around his shoulders, her nails making him let out his own hiss of pain. ¡°You were so desperate to get away, and you had the perfect opportunity. Hell you could have killed me and looted my gear. So... Why give it up and help me?¡± She asked with a genuine interest, as if the answer wasn''t obvious.


    Leo groaned at the question, realizing that there could be a multitude of other reasons if the whole alien world thing wasn''t on the table. ¡°I would say it''s a human thing, helping the injured despite the consequences, but most of my kind would see you as a monster and bolt.¡± He responded bluntly.


    ¡°Monster?¡± She challenged incredulously.


    He shrugged slightly, knowing that it was probably a fifty-fifty chance of someone bolting, or at least a sixty-forty. ¡°Humans are the only intelligent life on my planet, so yeah, you would be seen as a freak to most of them.¡± He bluntly answered once again.


    An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment as he realized he just insinuated that she was a freak. ¡®Good job dumbass.¡¯ He mentally kicked himself for insulting a race that he probably would shack up with, especially if his search history was anything to go by¡­


    ¡°But if I''m a freak, then why did you help me?¡± Elaria asked with a bit of a sullen yet hopeful undertone.


    Leo smiled slightly, as he thanked whatever god was watching for the lifeline presented to him. ¡°Well that''s just it, I don''t think of you as a monster or a freak, but it''s probably what most of my race''s reactions would be. I only saw a person, one who was in pain and needed help¡­ And just so you know, I personally think you are quite beautiful, as well as a little alluring.¡± He explained, making sure to put as much sincerity as he could manage into the last bit to make up for his earlier comment.


    They were already walking along the river when Elaria decided to speak up again. ¡°Hm¡­ Thank you.¡± She said as she pressed her cool body against his back, and both actions caused him to become very flustered while prompting a random thought that really didn''t need an answer to.


    ¡®Why does a lizard woman have breasts?¡¯


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 Chapter 3

    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria thought over the past hour while she laid against Leo''s warm back, being carried by the all too kind man back to Telnar. It was just supposed to be a normal patrol, her calming walk along the river. Now she felt like a part of her cracked from the stress, and was moments from another breakdown.


    ¡®Gods, this is why I joined a border guard and not the core military. I can fight just fine, in fact I love to, only two other people and my sister could match me in basic. Put me in a situation that''s well out of my control and I fall apart.¡¯ Elaria felt like she was about to start crying again, but Leo interrupted it by tilting forward to pull her in closer.


    ¡®I feel so pathetic... But at least I''ll be compensated for having the summon brought back, and he-¡¯ The thought cut short when she actually took a moment to think about the fate of the kind man that was helping her.


    ¡®What will happen to him?¡¯ Her mind went through a dozen scenarios before settling on two.


    The nobility would either hand him over to the dragons, or keep him hidden as a backup for when war broke out, but if the dragons find out about him, then he will be handed over regardless. A shiver went up her spine when she thought about what happened, or is still happening, to the last summon.


    She may not have gone to the monument herself, but a few relatives went to see it out of pure curiosity. A journey that every one of them seemed to regret, something that unsettled her given her family''s line of work, especially those who had horrific expressions and others who refused to even tolerate it when someone tried to bring it up.


    They described the monument as a large glass sphere, a little larger than a carriage, held up by obsidian. And inside the sphere floated the blue misty shape of a winged figure, whose form is slowly ripped apart by the glass and then put back together. The details of the descriptions always stop when they get to the screams, heavily muffled and distorted by the thick glass.


    ¡®And¡­he could suffer the same fate¡­¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Walking in relative silence, Leo thought about what he was going to do when he got to Telnar. ¡®I could leave her close to the entrance and book it? No, then I would just go back to being lost, while eating leaves and bark strips to get by. I could try and pass myself off as a tall lanky dwarf- Wait, are there even dwarves on this world? Hmm, nah. If they pressed me like Elaria did, then it would fail immediately. I simply know nothing about this world, so my human art of ¡®the bullshit¡¯ won''t work any time soon. I may as well just go with it, and hope I don''t get tortured forever.¡¯ He paused in thought to mentally sigh.


    ¡®I''m on another world that has magic, and the prospect of endless torment is staring me in the face. Fuck that''s a mood killer.¡¯ The thought finished with his lips pressed thin.


    A soft familiar sound came from behind him, as Elaria seemed to be starting up another breakdown. He tilted forward and pulled her in, to try and take her mind off of whatever she was thinking about. He was familiar with her type, because he used to act the same way growing up. Emotionally unstable would cover it, but it''s way too broad a term. A feeling of no control over your life, however small a part, plays havoc with your mental state.


    ¡®A person just needs an outlet, whether it be an activity or just venting your feelings to someone, but I would imagine that it is quite hard to find something like that with this world''s level of tech and social structure.¡¯ He sighed again and thought back to a few incidents of his own while they neared Telnar.


    ¡®I can''t count how many times I lost it when the little problems seemed to pile over in my head, seems dumb now but I could have really been fucked if my grandfather didn''t teach me how to work a computer. I simply needed an outlet, something to escape to and just tolerate the world around me while I found my footing.¡¯


    The two of them finally exited the forest after a few more minutes of walking, and he saw large stone walls that were about a football field away. The walls ended a little into the river, and then continued again on the other side, letting the waterway narrow a bit as it cut through the town.


    Leo craned his neck to take a glance at Elaria. ¡°Hey, Is that it up ahead?¡± He asked his injured passenger.


    She gave him a nod and then leaned into him to get a better view over his shoulders, the feeling making him blush slightly as he felt a certain pair of cool mounds press against his back. ¡°Yes. Right over there, to the left of where the wall stops.¡± The unabashed woman confirmed, pointing a claw-like nail toward a small entrance with someone sitting just outside it.


    The red faced human shook off the embarrassment, something that Elaria seemed to notice, as she pressed a little more sensually into his back. ¡°...In for a pound.¡± He muttered to himself as he walked over to the small gate, believing that the exotic woman was just teasing him, but still held out some false hope.


    The guard at the gate stood up, and gave them both a once over before asking. ¡°The hell happened to you Elaria, and who''s your interesting looking friend?¡± The woman said with a hungry lick of the lips, something that he no longer associated with actually wanting to eat him given his passengers actions, which added even more tallys to the hope counter.


    Elaria rested her head on his shoulder and let out a groan. ¡°Hey Glia. I twisted my ankle chasing this dumb ass.¡± She answered bluntly, which made Leo cringe at the words.


    Elaria took a moment to gaze directly into his eyes, and her large amber windows nearly made him lose his own train of thought for a moment. ¡°And as for who he is-¡±


    ¡®I wonder if I could still run?¡¯ Leo contemplated in the middle of her response.


    ¡°-A minor race from far up north. He''s a runaway slave, and he thought that I was a slaver.¡± She stated, acting like she was exhausted from the whole ordeal.


    Glia seemed to take a side eyed glance of Leo, before giving him a complete once over with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Would explain the hair on his limbs, very sparse though. No tracking collar too, your previous owner must be fucking livid to let a man like you slip away.¡± She snickered, while giving him a slightly lustful look.


    Leo arched his brow in surprise at the blatant flirting, making him question if their race really found him all that good looking. ¡°Uh huh¡­¡± He said, not exactly knowing how to take the suggestive compliment.


    He felt a sharp pull on his shoulders from Elaria as she spoke up. ¡°Well I better talk to the head of the guard about my situation, so we should really be on our way.¡± She said with a light edge.


    Glia seemed to tense at the response, and gave Elaria a disappointed look before waving them through the gate.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The earth born didn''t exactly know what to expect when he passed through the walls, but what he saw when entering Telnar was the last thing he would consider in a magical fantasy world. Everywhere he looked were one to two story buildings, made of very large and smooth brick with wood shutters on the windows, and the layout of the buildings looked like it was referenced out of a modern city.


    Wooden posts were at every corner, probably to denote the street name, while large and smooth stone slabs were used for the sidewalks, and looked more modern than anything he expected to see. The streets were very smoothed over stone, as if they were made not too long ago, which confused him even further.


    Noticing that he wasn''t moving, due to him being a little dumbstruck while gazing at the town in front of him, Elaria waved a hand in front of his face. ¡°Leo? Are you alright?¡± She asked with a bit of concern.


    ¡°Yeah, I''m just surprised at the amount of...stone¡­¡± He said while trying to hide his bewilderment at what he assumed was a small town, because it begged the question as to what their cities were like.


    She chuckled. ¡°Well while it''s amusing to see a summon be impressed by our architecture, I''ve got somewhere to be. So if you''d please be so kind.¡± She requested as she started to direct him down the more populated streets.


    As he traveled across town toward their destination, he saw a variety of different variations of the lizard people called selarin. Sizes varying from half his height, to double. Some had four legs with a centaur-like form, some had no legs with the lower half of a snake, and there were many different variations of lizard species, gecko''s, cobras, chameleons, and so on. As he continued to look around he began to notice something that started to give him a bit of concern. Almost every selarin was either glancing or outright staring at him, but that''s not what troubled him. What troubled him was during the entire walk to the base, there was not one person who looked male.


    ¡®Maybe they are androgynous?¡¯ Though he somehow doubted that.


    After just a few short minutes of walking, the two of them reached the guard base. It was a four story brick building that seemed to look like every other building around it, with the only difference being the height.


    Looking over his shoulders at Elaria, he noticed that her scales were a lighter shade of green. ¡®I guess being carried like that through town would be embarrassing to anyone.¡¯ He thought sympathetically, but it was when she looked back at him that he noticed that she was trying to control her breathing, and her pupils were-


    ¡®Dilated?¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria had discovered that she may be a bit of an exhibitionist, because riding Leo through town had become one of the most exhilarating moments of her life, and she could barely contain herself with the heat he was giving off, making her body feel even hotter than her normal arousal state.


    ¡®It felt so good to be openly close in public like that, but doing it in private might be even better¡­¡¯ She thought with a bit of aching desire, not having had any stress relief in quite a while, but brushed it aside as she climbed off his back to enter the base.


    He helped her while they traversed the base, supporting her to the infirmary so she could get her ankle properly set and bandaged. She received a pitiful look from the medic, as they knew that she was going to be let go until the injury healed. The military cared for its own during times of war or minor conflicts, but any time else was seen as a wasteful use of resources, as some aristocrats would say.


    ¡®Why waste coins on an unimportant lowborn guard who got injured, when you can buy a fancy bauble.¡¯ Elaria thought irritably.


    After she was given a crutch, she made her way with Leo to the head guards office, and told him to wait just outside while she went in to talk.


    She saw that he was a bit fidgety, looking toward the door with apprehension. ¡°Don''t worry I''m not going to reveal who you are. I couldn''t live with myself if you ended up like the last summon, and no one deserves a fate like that.¡± She reassured him before entering the office.


    Yet, something deep within her felt a little heavier with those words.


    ________________________________________________


    Sel


    Being the head of the guard for a distant town used to be an easy task when she received her position all those years ago, and since then she grew to love and cherish the people here. But now she felt ashamed of herself, because with a war that could break out all over the continent at any moment, her beloved town was the last place she wanted to be. And judging by how tense her subordinates have been acting the last few months, they were of the same mind set.


    Sel ran a finger across a large stack of papers on her desk, staring at the pile with a bit of resignation, but it was a small price to pay to keep the town running, since the local lord always shirked their duties. ¡°Another day, another pile of paperwork to read and sort.¡± She sighed while leaning back in her chair.


    Patrol reports, public fights, trade disputes, a few muggings, and the occasional Tavern brawl was more or less the norm, but there were multiple reports of dwarf and elf sightings from the forests outside other towns. They were most likely scouts, spies or saboteurs, and normally she would be unconcerned with the reports sent to her from other towns, she had her own to deal with after all. The point of concern was that not a single one of her patrols had reported any such sightings. Not one sighting from her town and that made her more than on edge, as at best the town was seen as strategically unimportant, or at worst something very bad was going to happen in the all too near future.


    A knock echoed from her office door, and she looked up to regard the visitor. ¡°Enter.¡± She called out, and a green selarin that was supported by a crutch hobbled in not a moment later. Sel grimaced upon seeing the injury, as she knew what was about to happen, and the reason for it angered her as much as the fact that she had to carry it out.


    ¡°Entry rank guard Elaria reporting.¡± Elaria announced with a salute, which made Sel hit a new low of pity for the fresh faced selarin.


    ¡®Three months of service promoted someone from entry rank, so they haven''t even been active for three months...¡¯


    Sel struggled a bit to maintain eye contact, as she felt her body ache with what she was required to do. ¡°How long?¡± She asked, while not needing to provide any context.


    Elaria glanced down to her ankle with a sullen expression. ¡°The medic said a month and a half at the least, and that''s for me just to move it.¡± She answered as she looked back to Sel, and gave her an obviously fake and hollow smile.


    ¡°Well Entry rank, by sectional amendment twenty-four of her majesty''s military allotment quota, you are hereby relieved of duty. Until the time of your recovery, or in the event of a crisis, you will not be allowed back into the military. Your rank will be held at the point of departure, but you will not receive monetary payment during your recovery. All equipment and weaponry that was provided to you upon entering the military will be held until you return back to active duty, with a retrieval deadline set by a medic that estimates a point of full recovery.¡± Sel recited from memory while being completely monotone, as if she was reading instructions off a book.


    Elaria''s eyes grew wide with concern. ¡°Does¡­ Does that mean my clothing as well?¡± Elaria inquired with a gulp, seemingly unaware of the full military charter.


    Sel, whose eyes were finally locked with Elaria''s during her whole display, darted away in shame.


    Elaria was speechless and seemed to be taking full advantage of her crutch''s support that was for far more than just physical. ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± Was all she could say in response.


    The military didn''t allow personal effects, causing those who joined to be solely reliant on what was provided, and the exceptions were always those with connections and authority, which sickened Sel.


    ¡°You know, I always tend to make mistakes on my ledgers. Sometimes an entire set of gear can go unaccounted for, and I wouldn''t know until months or even years later.¡± Sel mused while she thoughtlessly shifted some papers around on her desk.


    The young selarin was about to speak up, but she cut her off. ¡°Just leave the building, and come back when you are healed. Take that as my final order.¡± She finished warmly, and Elaria gave her a small smile while she saluted before rushing out the office.


    ¡®Hopefully she gets a good price on that equipment, the coin should support her well enough to make it back.¡¯ Was her final thought on the matter while she began to reorganize the mess on her desk, and remove a certain set of equipment from the guards ledgers.


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 4

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Elaria seemed a lot happier leaving the office than when she entered, which made him want to ask about it, but his immediate concern was for his own situation.


    ¡°So, what happens now?¡± He asked with a slight concern, but the question was met with a bit of indifference as she waved for him to follow her.


    ¡°Well, let''s head to an inn first. There''s only so much daylight left, and today was more than an experience to say the least.¡± She replied with some exasperation, but still appeared in high spirits as her tail was perked up and swaying slightly.


    Leo decided to start up a conversation while he followed her toward their new destination, hoping to ask one of the many questions that were on his mind. ¡°Uh, thanks for covering for me. I hope I didn''t cause you any trouble with your superiors.¡± He gratefully intoned with an apologetic look, still feeling guilty about causing trouble for his new and apparently only friend.


    She took a moment before responding, her expression becoming somber. ¡°You don''t have to worry about me on that front, since I was relieved of duty.¡± She stated casually, but had a pained expression.


    His brow scrunched up with concern. ¡°Wait, was that because of me?¡± He asked with a bit of shock, while feeling a little more than guilty.


    With a half hearted laugh she told him yes and no. Yes, he caused the injury, but no, he should not feel responsible for what happened. Her answer received a questioning look from him, so she went on to explain why she was let go, and his blood pressure spiked in anger as she continued to explain the laws surrounding her situation.


    He clenched his fists, sickened that something like that was even written into law. ¡°They boot you out with nothing! And because of such a minor injury!¡± He yelled with no regard for the passersby that continued to look his way.


    The selarin visibly cringed and stopped to quiet the emotional outburst. ¡°Shh, calm down. I understand the feeling, but that''s just how it is. Besides, the head of the guard saved me by letting me keep the equipment. Now I can sell it and live off the coin while I recover.¡± She explained, trying to placate him before continuing to the inn.


    He guessed that this world wouldn''t be too charitable, given the time period, but that didn''t stop him from scowling at the ground before following her again. ¡°That''s¡­just not right.¡± The words were directed to no one while he tried to reign in his emotions.


    When he looked around again, he finally remembered the concerning question that he wanted to ask. ¡°Why are there only women around, or am I missing something?¡± He questioned a little dumbly, still unsure if selarin''s appearance didn''t just lean heavily toward feminine features.


    She gave him a look, as if he asked about something that was fairly obvious. ¡°Simple, selarin''s have a ten to one birth ratio. Men are kept at home, or work in less public jobs.¡± She said casually, as if it was common knowledge.


    A bit taken aback by the response, his mind started cooking up what implications that would have on their society. ¡®Would gender roles be reversed?¡¯ Since with so few males, they would be seen as the ones to be protected and sought after. Socially, women would be the more advancing and pent up sexually. Elaria''s actions, Glia''s comment, and all the stares suddenly made a lot more sense, as well as making him feel a lot more vulnerable.


    Lips curled into a bit of a frown, he ran a hand through his short dark brown hair. ¡°Uh¡­ So do the other races have such an¡­imbalance?¡± He asked, still processing the interesting bit of information.


    Elaria eyed him with a questioning look evident on her face. ¡°Yes, with the closest ones to a balance being the dwarves and elves. Dwarves are two to one and elves are between three and four to one, but both have their own issues. Dwarves can only conceive one child once a year, and elve''s conception periods are completely random from person to person.¡±


    The human''s mouth went slightly agape at the response, mostly because yes, there were even dwarves and elves on this planet, which peaked his interest a little more than the fucked ratio. ¡°Huh¡­¡± He breathed out with eyes wide in contemplation.


    She cocked her head slightly and took a casual glance at the bewildered human. ¡°So, what are the ratios and conception periods for humans?¡± She questioned with interest.


    ¡°It''s one to one, and almost any time of the year.¡± He told her with the same casual tone that matched her first, then she stopped walking, and just stared at him in complete disbelief.


    ¡°That''s bullshit.¡± The stunned selarin''s remark was not really directed at anyone, but he simply shrugged, not knowing how to respond to this world''s illogical crap too.


    The curious man decided to save any more questions for when they got to the inn, since his selarin friend seemed to have lost quite a bit of mental energy on the way.


    ¡®Yeah, I don''t think this has fully sunk in for me either¡­¡¯


    ¡­


    When they got to the inn, it looked like every other stone building around it as well, but it was single story, which confused the human when they entered, because most of the space was taken up by a large dining area, a few dozen tables scattered about, and a kitchen with a bar being situated at the back.


    The bar was manned by the first obviously male selarin that Leo''s seen since entering the town, and he was a little intimidating. The man was two feet taller than him, with broad shoulders and squared features, literally, his jaw was nearly square due to his reptilian features.


    If Leo had to find a relation to a species back home, they would probably be somewhere between prehistoric and modern, as his build was sharper and a little more rigid, while his scales were smooth and firm, as the outlines of his muscles showed through, adding even more to the unit of a man. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The muscled selarin had on a tight fitting short sleeve shirt that seemed to accentuate his build even further. While the man was polishing a glass mug, Leo couldn''t help but equate the scene with a wise middle aged bar keep that was like a father figure to all who entered.


    Initially most of the women in the establishment had a vague gaze that drifted toward the large selarin, but as Leo and Elaria approached him from the entrance, all of them slowly shifted to Leo.


    ¡®Knowing what I do now, I would have been flattered with an added boost to my ego, but I can''t help but feel like I walked into a mini Jurassic park.¡¯ He was both aroused and deeply terrified at the same time.


    ¡°Excuse me, my name is Elaria and this is Leo. We would like to rent a room for the next two months.¡± Elaria said to the selarin who was built like a truck.


    ¡°The name''s Kesl.¡± Kesl introduced himself with a bit of a bassy voice, as he looked between the pair with mild consideration. ¡°Single bed I assume.¡± He remarked as an amused expression broke through his stern visage, which prompted Leo and Elaria to both turn an embarrassed shade.


    Elaria coughed before speaking. ¡°Er-Eh... Well we would prefer two beds for the moment.¡± She said while glancing over at Leo with a look that he couldn''t discern.


    Kesl gazed down at the two of them with a raised eyebrow, and had a skeptical look to his dark green eyes. ¡°Well, sure there are a few rooms available, but one bed is about a third cheaper than two.¡± Kesl explained as he placed the mug underneath the bar top.


    Curious about the currency of this world, Leo pushed to ask before his soon to be roommate. ¡°And, how much are they?¡±


    ¡°For one month the price is fifty copper for a single and seventy five for a double. Three meals a day included.¡± Kesl answered, and Leo didn''t think it sounded too bad, until he took a glance at a now distraught Elaria that said otherwise, as the guilt started to weigh on him for causing her predicament.


    ¡°Well take the single bed.¡± Leo stated with confidence, while thinking ¡®I can just sleep on the floor I guess, it wouldn''t be any different than the past two days...¡¯


    He shot a look over to Elaria, who stared at him, mouth agape and as light a shade as when he carried her through the town. He was about to apologize for deciding what she should do with her money when she slammed a silver coin on the counter.


    ¡°YES, we will take a single bed.¡± Elaria blurted out clumsily, a smile present on her face as her tail swayed excitedly.


    A bit caught off guard by her display, he stood there a little perplexed and briefly considered that she might actually want to do something more than just sleep, but noted that she wasn''t going to be engaging in anything like that with her injury. So he brushed aside the optimistic thought as Kesl gave them their room number and told them what floor it was on.


    ¡°Floor?¡± He asked while remembering that this was a single story building.


    Kesl smirked, his sharp teeth almost making the little human flinch. ¡°Ah, it''s your first time in Selaria, we get that reaction from newcomers every so often. While other races construct their buildings going up, we build downward.¡± He explained, but his expression changed from smug to confused at Leo''s reaction.


    ¡°Oh, that makes way more sense now.¡± He remarked more to himself, now understanding why most buildings were not more than two stories. If they could work and maintain stone to the degree that he saw while simply walking through town, then why not just build down instead of up?


    ¡°Well that reaction is new. Are you from the dwarven kingdom then? They are the only ones who work with the earth as well as we do.¡± Kesl inquired, but Elaria cut in before Leo could answer.


    ¡°As much as we would love to entertain each other''s questions, I am somewhat exhausted and would like to shut in for the day. So I''ll need Leo to help me down the stairs to our room.¡± She pressed while nudging him in the direction of the staircase.


    ¡­


    When they reached their room, he went to take a seat on the chair next to the bedside table, while she started removing her armor and told him that she was going to rinse off in the bathroom''s shower.


    ¡®Huh, indoor plumbing?¡¯ He thought with a bit of honest surprise whilst looking down at himself, recognizing that he needed a clean too, because hiking almost three days without a shower made him feel very far from fresh.


    After a while of waiting, Elaria walked out of the bathroom in just her underwear, her slender frame accentuated by her smooth scales, while the tight fit undergarments sharpened her arousing form.


    ¡°Well that was refreshing, I had some dirt stuck in between my scales from our little tumble.¡± Elaria remarked while thoughtlessly crutching herself toward the bed.


    Feeling that he was heating up at the sight of his half nude roommate, Leo elected to make for the bathroom before she noticed his bright red face.


    ¡°Huh? Oh. Sorry, I didn''t know you needed to use it that badly.¡± He heard from the apologetic woman who was just outside the bathroom door.


    Trying to calm himself, he noted that she was very nonchalant about her open display. ¡®My lack of social skills in that particular area is going to take some time getting used to. Especially if that''s the norm with this fucked ratio...¡¯ It was a casual reflection he had while wandering into the bathroom.


    There was a wide toilet, a sink with a mirror, and what looked like a large standing shower. There were also two bins on the floor by the door, both having a large rune, and one of them was glowing. Inside the bin with the glowing rune was the rest of Elaria''s clothes, neatly folded and packed in.


    Leo cocked his head at the magical item. ¡°Cleaning magic maybe?¡± He thought out loud.


    Walking over to the shower he noticed that there wasn''t a water faucet. Looking at the side of the wall he saw a palm sized dial with a large number of small runes on it. Some runes lit up upon turning the dial, then a dense rain cloud appeared at the top of the shower. The water was initially cold, but the further he turned the dial, the hotter the water became, and the more of the runes lit up.


    ¡°Well that''s cool.¡± He mouthed in a surprisingly nonplussed tone while he marveled at the apparently simple application of magic.


    He shed his clothes and placed them in the other magical laundry bin before hopping into the shower, lukewarm water rinsing away the past few days of suddenly playing on bear grylls difficulty in his pjays.


    After a much needed shower, he retrieved his clothes from the bin, which were now warm and smelling a bit fresh. Looking over to Elaria''s bin, he realized that a t-shirt and sweats were not very durable garments, so he would have to buy some new clothes, which meant he needed money.


    The prospect of having to find a job in a medieval fantasy world was not a fun idea, as his skill set was far from valued, but hopefully he could at least sell some modern concepts.


    Leaving the bathroom feeling refreshed but also quickly tiring, he took up a seat on the chair once again, and glanced over at the bed to see that Elaria was laying on her side, sheets loosely covering her as she held a longing look.


    Money was suddenly the last thing on his mind.


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 5

    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Under normal circumstances, Elaria would have pulled Leo to the bed immediately after he exited the bathroom, because his obvious interest on top of the confidence of asking for a single bed made her a little aroused. But she was injured and exhausted physically as well as mentally, so those kinds of activities had to wait for later.


    ¡®I''ll just have to settle for cuddling then.¡¯ She admired the man from the bed, and her eyes longed for him more when his tan skin deepened a shade.


    ¡°Was the water too hot for you?¡± She innocently teased and purposefully let slip some of the sheets covering her.


    The human seemed to find the floor suddenly more interesting, which slightly irritated her, because he was obviously interested. ¡°Er- Em¡­ Now that we have some privacy, can we discuss where to go from here?¡± He asked in a plane attempt to divert the conversation, much to her disappointment.


    The pent up selarin sighed, knowing that he was stalling because he was embarrassed like some defenseless male, and in all honesty he sort of was, but that shouldn''t be the case given what he told her about his people. ¡®Gods, always fertile and no other races, how do they get to do any work, much less enjoy themselves?¡¯ - ¡°It''s your life. What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Well since I have nowhere else to go, and no idea about the new world around me, I think I''ll stick with you for now. If that''s alright?¡± He asked whilst he continued to gaze around the room, and she found the childish display both incredibly cute and incredibly irritating.


    Stomping out the urge to yell at him for being so pointlessly reserved, she simply nodded in understanding. ¡°Yeah, I think that would be for the best. You''ll want to use that little cover story I told the guard to avoid suspicion, maybe add a flourish or two of your own.¡± She smirked as she punctuated the end with a mischievous tone.


    ¡°That reminds me, just how many races are there?¡± The human inquired with a furrowed brow, his eyes accidently drifting over her form before darting away again.


    ¡°Too many to know off the top of my head, but most stay in their own territories. Merchants, skill traders, and mercenaries being the exception. Which reminds me, you''re completely broke, aren''t you?¡± She asked the somewhat abashed man, who sheepishly nodded in response.


    She sighed sadly while her gaze became distant with contemplation. ¡°Yeah, I''m nearing that point as well. I need to sell my equipment to afford some physical treatment from a healer. I basically spent all I had on the room, but I should get at least three or four silver for the armor. That should be more than enough to pay for the medicine, I could even spare you some copper once all is said and done.¡±


    ¡°Is there such a thing as healing magic, and can''t people cast magic directly?¡± He asked and received a quizzical look.


    She cocked her head with a raised eyebrow, remembering that he said his world didn''t have magic. ¡°Of course to both, and healers charge a ridiculous amount for the service. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°No magic on my world, remember, and all I''ve seen are these runes.¡± He confirmed while holding up his translation necklace.


    Curious herself, she asked how he knew to work the shower and clean his clothes, if his world doesn''t have magic. He shrugged and said that he was a video game developer, and that it meant he had to create and work with systems that portrayed things like magic.


    Pressing him on the specifics of his trade resulted in a snowball of further questions, but he put an end to the conversation. He told her that to explain all the details for her to comprehend his work it would take weeks if not months, so she elected to drop the subject.


    Since it was getting late and she wanted to get a little interpersonal, she asked if they could go to sleep. He acquiesced, but then took up a spot on the floor.


    ¡®Oh hells no!¡¯ The thought boomed in the frustrated woman''s head, finally at her limit with the shy routine when every other glance he made was not just telling, but outright shouting that he wanted her.


    ¡°Um, what are you doing?¡± She asked, holding back an irritated eye twitch whilst staring down from the bed at him.


    He avoided eye contact as he shifted his back. ¡°Going to sleep?¡± He responded, while discomfort was evident on his face.


    ¡°And what''s wrong with the bed?¡± She asked incredulously with narrowed eyes, now fed up with him avoiding something that he seemed very much willing to do, but was obviously holding back out of embarrassment.


    ¡°I uh, well I didn''t think you. I mean I shouldn''t. That''s um...¡± He sputtered while starting to turn a deep shade of red, causing her to sigh. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®If that wasn''t so adorable I might have torn his head off...¡¯ She was about to out right order him into the bed when an impish idea came to mind.


    Putting on an exaggeratedly hurt expression, she spoke in an almost comically self deprecating tone. ¡°Oh, I''m sorry. I guess you wouldn''t want to sleep with a freak¡­¡±


    Leo immediately shot up from the floor in protest. ¡°I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean that! You''re a breathtakingly beautiful and attractive woman!¡± He blurted out, then his expression immediately dropped into shock at his own words. His face soon turned into a shade of red that seemed almost comical, and she had to hold down a chuckle at the display. Before he could break the momentum she built up for her little trap, she sprang it.


    ¡°Well then sleeping in the same bed shouldn''t be too much of a problem then¡­¡± She playfully trailed off while laying into the bit she set up.


    ¡°I...ah...eh...¡± Visibly trying to find the words, the flustered human closed his eyes, relaxed, took in a deep breath for a few seconds, and then released it.


    Doubt started to rear itself in her head, but she continued to keep up her act.


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was off kilter to say the least, as the result of his minimally social life showed itself full force in how he was acting toward the exotic and teasing woman.


    He took a deep breath as he worked to properly break down the situation. ¡®Stop, think. She''s not the one that''s getting embarrassed about this, and chivalry probably doesn''t give a fuck about gender here, so I really need to start adapting to the social norms of this world. Also, she''s definitely fucking with me for calling her a freak, her little performance would have gone over my head If I didn''t watch so much media back home. I need to cut the shit and apologize for acting like a child, and who knows, I could actually have a shot with a medieval alien lizard woman... The fuck is my life now¡­¡¯ The thought finished as he finally took the time to collect himself.


    ¡°You''re right, I''m being childish. My apologies for unintentionally offending you, and being so aggravating. I would like to sleep wi-in the bed with you, if you don''t mind.¡± He remarked much to the unknown screams of victory roaring in Elaria''s head.


    Ending the day by getting into bed with a half naked alien snake woman was the last thing he expected when he woke up this morning. Granted he didn''t know what to expect when he woke up still lost in the forest and slowly dying from dehydration, but this definitely was beyond his imagination. But even this was an experience in mental endurance, as she immediately started hugging him from behind.


    It took most of his self control to not turn around and reciprocate for the same reason as his body''s sudden shift in blood flow, which wasn''t helped by the familiarly soft pillows pressed against his back. ¡°Um, Elaria?¡± He probed in response to her forwardness.


    She pressed into him more, and even wrapped her good leg around him. ¡°What? I can''t help it, I love the heat you give off¡­¡± She innocently responded.


    He frowned as his second brain slowly backed away from the controls. ¡®Right she''s a lizard woman. Calm the fuck down Leo. She''s the only person willing to keep your secret and help you, so don''t let your di- emotions fuck it up.¡¯ He mentally chastised.


    After a few sleepless minutes he turned his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be out cold while still holding tightly to him. ¡°So...Warm¡­¡± She whispered out in her sleep.


    Shifting his mind away from his situation to hopefully get some sleep, he opted to reflect on the information he had regarding this world so far, as well as what his objectives should be for tomorrow.


    ¡®Besides the male deficient society, I think I could carve out a new life here without problems. This world is definitely medieval fantasy, with some modern ideas that are supplemented with magic, which are both pluses in their own right. Runic magic seems very prevalent, maybe I could sell a few ideas for some income. I do need money, and I have virtually no other skills that would get me a job here. So the first thing I should do is learn some magic, or at least how to make runes.¡¯ A yawn escaped him as his thoughts began to grow hazy.


    ¡®I guess I''ll ask Elaria where I could start learning, probably a library or a book shop.¡¯ His eyes began to feel like lead as the physical toll of the last few days started to permeate his body.


    ¡®Maybe there''s¡­ A¡­ School for wizards¡­ Heh¡­¡¯ Was his final thought as sleep took him.


    ...


    When Leo awoke the next day, he found himself no longer the little spoon, and instead was facing Elaria while her arms pressed them both into a close embrace. It took mere moments for him to shake his drowsiness, and he realized what was pressing against his chest, then what he was pressing against her groin. He then halted a familiarly annoying question from interrupting his thoughts, and immediately came to a final conclusion on the matter.


    ¡®Who the fuck cares.¡¯


    He laid like that for a while, not entirely wanting to disturb the slumbering selarin, as well as in an effort to battle against his own hormones. Thankfully that was a fight he won before she stirred, but when Elaria awoke and stared into his eyes, her green scales lightened a shade as she held his gaze. And he stared back as well, nearly losing himself within the exotic woman''s light amber eyes.


    The earth born man had seen, read, and created too many interactions between prospective partners in media to know that this situation was pretty much text book. It was at that moment that he realized that he stumbled into a relationship that he, while not averse to, was definitely unprepared for.


    ¡®Am I really ready for this right now? ¡­ Maybe I can still ease myself out of it.¡¯ Leo thought a little anxiously, before Elaria brought him in for a deep passionate kiss.


    ¡®Or not.¡¯


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 6

    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    ¡®Gods there''s nothing like sharing a bed with a warm blooded race. He''s like a furnace compared to any selarin and is even warmer than a dwarf, though my teasing probably helped with that. Oh and that kiss!¡¯ Elaria thought in delight as she got dressed for the day, her tail swaying slightly with joy.


    She was hesitant to go for the kiss, thinking it was a hasty move at first, but the look on his face afterwards was beyond worth it. She wanted to push a little further, but she had some important things to do today. If she tried any more it would probably flip a switch, and she didn''t want to accidentally make her injury worse.


    As Leo helped her up to the main floor to get some breakfast, he asked if there was a place he could start learning magic. Normally she would tell anyone who wanted to try that it was a waste of effort, but with what human was, she wouldn''t be surprised if he had the potential to become an arch mage later in life.


    ¡°If you want to get started, then we can stop by the bookshop after I''ve sold my armor at the market. They have free beginners pamphlets, and a decent booklet for a copper that gets published by the kingdom''s academy.¡± She told him before she took a bite out of some of her grilled ham slices.


    The summon took a bite out of his ham and frowned slightly. ¡°They just hand that stuff out for free?¡± He questioned skeptically, seemingly more displeased with his food than the academy''s charity.


    ¡°Well it keeps every person and their mother from flooding the academy to check if they even have the ability to do magic. And before you ask, yes there are a few requirements to even be able to use magic. I don''t remember the specifics, but the three major ones are being able to sense, manipulate, and have enough mana.¡± She explained in between bites.


    ¡°How rare is it for someone to pass those three requirements?¡± He further inquired, but started choking on his first drink of mead.


    Elaria asked if he was alright before she answered his question, but it just turned out that Leo didn''t like alcohol. ¡®Who the fuck doesn''t like alcohol?¡¯ She thought disapprovingly before she continued.


    ¡°Well just meeting one of those requirements is rare on its own. Most mage''s have at least two, supplementing the third with magical tools and techniques. Having all three means you can get into any mage academy, though doing so is the equivalent of joining that kingdom''s military. Some try to learn on their own if they can, it guarantees good coin anywhere on the continent.¡± She answered before taking a swig of her mead.


    After the both of them finished breakfast, they started toward the inn''s exit, but before they could leave they were stopped by a heavy-set selarin female that was about a head taller than the two. The first words out of that woman''s mouth sent Elaria''s emotions into a numbing anger.


    ¡°Hey there cutie, why don''t you ditch the cripple so we could have some fun ourselves.¡± The selarin said with a cocky expression while she addressed Leo directly.


    Before Leo could respond to the woman, Elaria spoke up in a mixture of anger and resentment. ¡°Excuse me! But we ha-¡± She was cut off by the woman kicking the crutch out from under her.


    The assailant scowled at Elaria, squaring her shoulders before she spoke. ¡°Was I talking to you, bitch?¡± The woman finished by spitting on her.


    Elaria was overwhelmed by a torrent of frustration, sadness, anguish, and overall helplessness. As the emotions spilled over, she began to cry. Leo tried to kneel down to help her, but the selarin woman grabbed him by the forearm.


    ¡°Sorry little man, but you''re coming with me. You can go back to your pathetic partner, after I''ve had my fun.¡± The woman ordered while pulling him up and away from her.


    When Elaria looked up at Leo, she thought she would see him with an expression between fear or anger. What she saw on his face made her freeze in place. His face was set into that of cold rage, the kind that promised violence and only violence.


    It reminded her of her sister who would do anything to protect her, but something was different. She could have sworn that there was a faint glow in his eyes, before he started to turn to the woman.


    ________________________________________________This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Leo


    Leo didn''t know whether it was the insult, assault, or blatant humiliation the woman inflicted on Elaria that set him off. All he did know was that he needed to comfort the weeping woman in front of him, and that the bitch pulling him away from her was the cause of her current suffering.


    This kind of overflow in raw emotion wasn''t something he had felt in a very long time, but it wasn''t a chaotic mess because he had years to learn to control it. He could feel something underneath that storm of emotion though, something that wasn''t there before and felt like it could be pushed and directed.


    He would have realized what that something was if he was in his right mind, but he was far from it. He turned to the woman''s hand on his arm, and grabbed two of her fingers that were gripped around it with his other hand. That something ran from his chest into that hand, then he pulled. A very audible snap sounded, followed by a pained scream from the woman who let go of him.


    ¡°AHhhh, W-what the fuck!¡± The selarin shrieked in pain, as she looked down at her two broken fingers, then looked back up at Leo and started to reach for her sword, but a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.


    ¡°I think that''s enough.¡± Said the new arrival, followed by a large hand gripping the woman''s arm.


    The woman turned to let out her anger on the intruder, but she froze at the sight of them. It was Kesl, and he looked pissed. The woman may have stood a head taller than Leo and be able to bench press him with ease, but standing at seven and a half feet of muscle, Kesl was the definition of absolute unit.


    Kesl stared down the woman with an intensity that warned her to just try something to give him an excuse, because as easily as she could bench press Leo, he could snap her in half with little effort. ¡°Get your things from your room and kindly get the fuck off my property.¡± He told the selarin as she started to shrink in on herself at his gaze.


    ¡°I-I-I still have at least two weeks left!¡± The now frightened selarin started sputtering, nearly tripping on herself as she took a few trembling steps back.


    ¡°Yes you do, and I''m keeping the coin, so leave. Or do you want to go crying to the guard, because I bet they would love to help someone who assaulted a former guard and tried to abduct her companion.¡± Kesl all but growled at the selarin, as his anger at the woman''s previous actions dripped off of every word, and then she started to retreat down stairs to follow the walking tanks orders.


    Leo was about to thank the large selarin for intervening, but Kesl held up his hand and gestured behind him, drawing his mind back to Elaria. He turned around immediately to help get her to her feet and onto her crutch. Gazing back to where Kesl was, the man left the pair, as he seemed to want to give them some privacy.


    Elaria looked like she was in a bit of a stupor, rather than in the middle of a breakdown like he thought she would be. ¡°Elaria, are you alright?¡± He asked worriedly with a comforting arm over her shoulder..


    She wore an expression of little concern. ¡°Yeah, I''m alright but¡­ What did you do?¡± She asked him with a bit of a confused tone.


    ¡°Do what?¡± He questioned back with a raised eyebrow, a little taken aback by her reaction.


    ¡°You snapped her fingers like they were twigs.¡± She pointed out with a hard certainty that caused him to further pause in genuine surprise that he, without a doubt, used magic.


    ¡®That was mana I used then, so I can safely say I fulfill all three requirements¡­ I can use fucking magic! Lets Goooo!¡¯ Despite internally jumping around with the enthusiasm of a twelve year old who just got what he wanted for Christmas, externally he kept calm and explained it to her due to the momentary assault still being so raw.


    She gawked at him, her eyes going a little wide in disbelief. ¡°You just used magic? Just like that? No words at all?¡± She questioned critically while leaning forward, practically demanding a response.


    He held his hand up defensively, not knowing exactly how he managed it either. ¡°Words? You mean I have to chant or something?¡± He asked quizzically, though he guessed it kind of made sense from his own expectations on the matter.


    The green scaled selarin opened her mouth to speak, but furrowed her brow as she looked contemplative. ¡°I thought, I mean I think that''s how it''s supposed to work. That''s what healers do anyway¡­¡± She trailed off in visible thought.


    Shaking the momentary daze, she resharpened her focus. ¡°Well if we want to know for sure, then let''s get my armor sold so we can head to the book shop. The booklet should have all the info you need to get started, if the advertising is anything to go by.¡± She declared with a bit of enthusiasm.


    Leo experienced a bit of whiplash at how she collected herself so easily, but he knew that she was just shifting her focus away from what just happened. Something that he was all too familiar with, and how unhealthy it could be. He wasn''t going to push her on it though, now wasn''t the right time.


    ¡®I''m definitely going to get her to open up about it when it is the right time though.¡¯


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 7

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo focused inward on his mana as he and Elaria walked in silence to the market. He started playing with it, getting a feel for how to control it by pushing it around his body. As he moved it around it felt like it was becoming less stiff and bulky, more fluid and malleable. While it was a little unsettling to think that this thing cemented itself inside him, because it was definitely not there back on earth, the idea that he would soon be using it to fling fireballs and conjuring ice doused any apprehension.


    Still, it was best to air on the side of caution, so even though it started to feel more like an extension of himself, he decided to not try anything else since he was playing with something that was considerably more dangerous than fire. So he waited to try anything new until he had a crack at that booklet on magic.


    When they arrived at the market district he saw more or less what he expected to see, a massive area that was clear of buildings and packed with dozens of stalls that were manned by traders with different goods. What was strange was that the market seemed to be divided by a six foot solid wood fence patrolled by guards.


    He winced at the out of place structure bisecting the market as they headed toward one side. ¡°What''s with the fence?¡±


    Elaria sighed. ¡°That''s to prevent any altercations between the elven and dwarven traders.¡± She informed him and went on to explain the serious racial hostility between the two that only started last year, as well as the likelihood of war as a result.


    The newly received information made him scrunch  his brow in suspicion. ¡°Only last year? Is it really bad enough that you have to segregate them?¡± His voice was filled with doubt.


    ¡°Yeah, to be honest the sudden change caught everyone off guard. Stories of two lifelong friends going at each other''s throats overnight. Luckily, any incidents that do occur, don''t result in any sort of casualties.¡± She answered before they stopped at a stall that traded in equipment.


    ¡°Were there no major incidents that could have caused this?¡± The inquisitive man inquired further, not satisfied with the seemingly random aggression she described, but his inquiry was met with a simple nope.


    He resigned to his thoughts as she talked with the stalls owner. ¡®Well now I''m more than half convinced there''s some conspiracy bullshit going on. Gonna shelve that thought for now though, I don''t want to draw attention by getting involved if there is one. The prospect of being caught by the dragons is still an¡­issue.¡¯ His thoughts ended when he got a better look at the man that Elaria was bargaining with.


    The tradesman was a male dwarf, and looked pretty much how Leo expected. Short, check. Robust upper body for his size, check. Long beard, check. Bit of a Scottish accent, check. He didn''t seem to have hair on his arms though, as they looked completely smooth.


    The trader occasionally gave him a funny look, but only addressed Elaria. ¡®Dwarves and elves but no humans?¡¯ Something about that felt off, given the fantasy esthetic of this world.


    She spoke up after the trade, and the two of them started their way toward the bookshop. ¡°All right, got five silver and thirty copper from that. Way more than the three silver I expected to try and barter for.¡± She said, sounding a little deflated.


    His face twisted into confusion at her dissatisfaction with getting more than she expected. ¡°Isn''t that good?¡± He asked, feeling like he was obviously missing something.


    ¡°Normally, but I started really high at six. For him to agree so quickly means that the prep for the war is in full swing.¡± She answered with a distant look to her large expressive eyes that glossed in the sunlight.


    A grimace graced his own features, not liking the fact that he was going to have a front row seat to a medieval fantasy world war. ¡°How long do you think until war breaks out? I mean Selaria seems like it''s neutral, right? Do you think the queen will take sides?¡±


    ¡°No, Selaria is probably the only kingdom to maintain a neutral position, and we''ll want to keep it that way for as long as possible. As for when the war will start...¡± She shrugged. ¡°Could be in a few months, could be tomorrow. It depends on whoever feels strong enough to make the first strike.¡± She finished a little coldly.


    There was a moment of unusually intense silence before she spoke up again, a frown appearing on her face as she did. ¡°Leo, even though I know that you have no idea about anything on this world, I would like to not talk about anything related to the upcoming war. So can we drop that subject.¡±


    He was about to ask why, when his brain caught the word before it could make things awkward. He realized that talking about the war means talking about all the death, hate, and politics that follow it. Earth''s own history and a life of relative safety may have numbed him to the reality of the subject, but this was just as real too, even if the actual reality of it hasn''t really sunk in for him yet.


    ¡®Not a very happy subject to discuss then¡­¡¯ He apologized to her for continuing down that particular road.


    ________________________________________________The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Elaria


    Elaria once again found herself missing the patrol along the river, it took her mind off the upcoming war. Luckily Leo seemed to get that it was an uncomfortable subject, once she asked him to drop it. She also didn''t want to think about what would happen to a few of her family members, only a few. Most of them didn''t accept that she chose to join the military, muchless the guard, believing that if she couldn''t handle their work, then she shouldn''t even bother enlisting.


    Then there was why she chose to join-


    ¡®No Elaria, focus on the positive. You are having an outing with a handsome man. A kind man who carried you back to town when you were injured, and risked himself to be potentially tortured by dragons to do it. A man who you shared a close intimate night with, with the foreseeable future promising more. A man who you are helping to become a mage¡­¡¯ Her thoughts halted.


    A skilled mage''s income could range from silver coins, up to a whole gold coin a week. An income that could match or even rival any high noble or aristocrat, especially if they did become an arch-mage. Her eyes went wide at the realization. She originally planned to just spend her time off helping, teaching, and screwing her new companion, and then just part ways to join back up with the guard.


    ¡®Kind, handsome, and a wealthy looking future, why the hell shouldn''t I bond myself with him?¡¯ She now seemed entranced by the idea.


    ¡°Elaria¡­ Hello? Elaria? Elaria!¡±


    She let out a squeak as she was shaken out of her imagination, one that was of a future that she never realized she so badly wanted. ¡°Um, yes what is it?¡±


    ¡°I was asking if this was the shop, since we''re just loitering out front.¡± He asked with a worried expression, concern evident within his dark brown eyes.


    ¡°Oh, yes it is. Sorry I was lost in thought, let''s head in.¡± She responded as she tried to collect herself.


    He placed a hand on her shoulder before she could enter the shop. ¡°Elaria, if there''s anything on your mind that''s troubling you, I''m happy to just listen if you want to get it off your chest.¡± He told her with a warm and comforting smile.


    Elaria cocked her head for a moment, then smiled back. ¡°Uh¡­ Thank you.¡± She said, while becoming a bit flushed for some reason.


    ¡®Sorry Sel. I''ll repay you for the armor when I get the chance, but I might have to disobey that last order.¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo hoped that his words would soften Elaria''s barriers a bit, because he was really starting to feel for the woman.


    ¡®There seems to be a hell of a lot on her mind, hopefully she''ll start opening up soon. Damn, I really don''t want to ever see her cry like that again, especially if there''s something that''s preventing me from helping her. I may not be able to hold back as much if another incident like this morning happens again.¡¯ He thought with a bit of worry as they approached the shop keep, because he was a little scared about what would happen now that he had access to magic.


    The shop owner was a selarin that resembled a gecko. She was small, maybe three feet. He would have considered her a child based on height, but she had a few wrinkles and spoke with an elderly voice.


    ¡°Welcome young ones, how may I help you.¡± The diminutive woman greeted with a warm smile.


    ¡°Greetings, we would like the pamphlet and booklet on magic.¡± Elaria told the shop keep.


    The old woman''s face turned sour with a hint of remorse, before speaking. ¡°I''m afraid that''ll be twenty copper for the pamphlet and forty for the booklet.¡± She remarked bitterly.


    ¡°What?! Why?!¡± Elaria demanded of the elderly woman, who gave her an apologetic look.


    The woman sighed. ¡°The academy halted their production, and by law they can change the price for any establishment that is selling it. People in power want to filter more into the academy, and any that don''t meet the requirements will usually apply at the nearest military recruitment center. So it''s all to boost preparations for the war.¡± She remarked with a mournful tone, her large eyes glazing over at the prospect.


    Leo furrowed his brow as he tried to mentally weigh the actual cost of the magical guides. ¡®Damn. If the prices at the inn are anything to go by, then that adds up to over a month at a cheap bed and breakfast.¡¯


    ¡°Fine, one of each.¡± She relented, tossing a silver coin on the counter.


    The Elderly selarin took the coin and went to the back room to get the items and some change, while the financially bankrupt man stared at Elaria in surprise. ¡°It''s fine. I may be pissed about the price, but I got way more than I expected from selling my armor.¡± She reassured him while leaning onto her crutch with a sigh.


    The part of him that wanted to protest against the expenditure on his behalf was large, but unfortunately the part that wanted to learn magic was immense.


    So he shifted a little uncomfortably as he resigned to her decision. ¡°As long as you''re sure.¡± He remarked with a reserved tone.


    She smiled and gestured for him to come closer, and when he was close enough, she pulled him into a passionate kiss.


    Breaking away she simply said. ¡°Oh, I''m sure.¡±


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 8

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was going over the booklet on magic while he and Elaria were on their way to the clinic, so she could buy some medicine and get her injury treated. He was a bit irritated by the pamphlet, because it was an unfortunate waste of money, as it only covered sensing, manipulating, and discovering your mana, something that he had pretty much figured out on his own. He didn''t tell Elaria about it though, because the kiss they shared before leaving the shop seemed to put her in a happy mood, and he didn''t want to add to his list of screwups in regard to the beautiful woman.


    ¡®If I''m going to have an actual relationship with her, then I''d rather it not be built on guilt. So I''ll find a way to make it up to her, because If I''m going to do this, then I want to do it right.¡¯


    As he read the booklet, it started off in more detail on explaining how to assess and utilize the three requirements. Even though he could safely say that he is well above beginner in that regard, reading the descriptions of how they were supposed to feel the first time was¡­interesting. Some people apparently equate moving their mana around to taking a shit.


    ¡®lovely...¡¯ He thought with a slight grimace, electing to skip over some of the more descriptive examples.


    [ The amount of mana a mage''s body can contain varies from individual to individual, but a mage with mana should be able to cast at least a few dozen spells in quick succession. Mana can regenerate passively, by consuming food, or by drinking a mana potion. ]


    ¡®Wait, is there no way to measure mana?¡¯


    He flipped through to find out how to start casting spells, and if there were any dangers in messing up a spell. As he read the beginning, he had to do a double take and reread over the opening summary.


    [ To use or cast any spells, a mage needs to have a simple understanding in the process involved along with projecting the intent of said spell. As long as a mage can visualize the spell properly, even if not entirely accurate, they will be able to cast said spell.


    The more complex or demanding the spell, the more mana it will use. The amount of mana used for any given spell can be offset by how well a mage understands said spell''s underlying principles, but eventually the mage will hit the minimum limit of mana required to cast it.


    The only danger from casting a spell is the spell itself once cast, the process of casting a spell is completely harmless. If a spell is cast improperly, nothing will happen and the spell will not cast. The spell will either have failed immediately from lack of mana, or improper visualization and understanding of the spell. ]


    ¡°This¡­ This seems too simple...¡± He remarked out loud in disbelief.


    Elaria took a glance at him with a raised eyebrow, her expression that of skepticism. ¡°What is? Magic?¡± She jabbed critically.


    He shrugged as they turned another corner, still slowly making their way to the clinic as they passed the inn. ¡°Well, yes. From what this says, a mage just needs to have some basic education and a vivid imagination to cast a spell. There also seems to be almost no downsides for attempting to cast a spell, as long as you''re not trying to purposefully blow something up in your face.¡± Honestly the prospect was a little bewildering.


    The green scaled selarin cocked her head, seeming critical of his claims. ¡°Basic education? Like math?¡±


    Before Leo could answer, He reflexively side stepped a woman who almost looked intent on bumping into him, the ability ingrained in him from his time dodging others in a crowded hall to get to class. ¡°Well that, and a general understanding of the sciences.¡± He stated as he heard an audible tsk from somewhere behind.


    ¡°Scien- what?¡± She attempted to ask with a furrowed brow.


    Leo was about to answer in detail, but the enormity of the subject stopped him. ¡°Oh¡­ Uhhh¡­ Human thing.¡± He answered awkwardly.


    The human didn''t want to explain actual centuries of earth¡¯s history, just to clarify what he personally viewed as common knowledge. He thought that because there were a few modern applications of magic, that they would have an equivalent field of study. But it would seem that people would more likely neglect the physical study of the world in favor of creating more magical applications, if the length of the eras were anything to go by.


    ¡®That explains why they''ve been stuck in a technological rut for so long though, and are not flying spaceships by now. Tens of thousands of years though, yikes.¡¯ He thought whilst feeling a bit of pity.


    ¡°So if it''s so easy Mr.mage then why don''t you cast a spell.¡± She playfully taunted him with a wry smile.


    The two stopped walking and he flipped to the beginner spells to try casting something, but his face warped into confusion at the starter spell instructions.


    [ Casting spells is relatively simple to accomplish, once the first spell is cast. To cast a spell, simply think of what the spell should do and result of said spell, then direct some mana into the action while calling out a few words relating to the visualization. Words are essential in this process to initiate the spell immediately.


    To get started casting your first spell, grab a small item and place it in the palm of your hand. Visualize the object floating while directing mana to it, then call out a word that best represents your visualization.


    Float, levitate, fly, hover, and so on are some examples.


    If you are successful, then you will have successfully cast levitation magic. A simple spell that allows a mage to move objects without physical contact. ]


    His lips curled into a slight frown. ¡®If it''s all about intent and visualization, then I shouldn''t need words. I would just need to force the action.¡¯ He thought while closing the booklet and holding it out in his palm, then started to follow most of the instructions.


    ¡°What are yo-¡± Elaria started to say, but her words were cut short as the booklet floated a foot above Leo''s hand.


    ¡®Glad that worked, I would feel like an idiot every time I would have to yell out my spell.¡¯ He thought as he began to spin the book aimlessly in the air.


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria didn''t know what to say as she watched Leo mindlessly play with the floating booklet. She thought it would take him at least a month to cast his first spell properly, disregarding this morning''s incident, and that was her taking into account that he was a summon. She heard that most people at the academy take at least half a year, but he''s figured it out while on a leisurely stroll.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    She looked at his face, a childlike enjoyment spread across it as he started to make the booklet fly through the air. The mirth and warmth she started to feel as she stared into his eyes that glinted in the light, transfixed her. She was so taken in with him at the moment that she forgot about her injury, causing a pain to shoot up her leg as she leaned on it.


    ¡°F-fuck...¡± She hissed at the pain, gripping her crutch as she clenched her jaw.


    ¡°Elaria! You alright?¡± He asked worriedly, the booklet dashing back into one of his hands while he placed the other on her shoulder.


    ¡°Yes-s, I''m fine. I just forgot about something rather important.¡± She said, trying to hide the pain before continuing. ¡°Let''s get to the healer, I''d like to head back to the Inn to make it for lunch if possible.¡±


    He agreed tentatively, but his attention soon snapped back to his booklet after a few moments, and he eventually became completely absorbed into it as they continued to the clinic.


    All the while something about his presence made her feel at ease.


    ¡­


    They spent the rest of their walk in contemplative silence, until they eventually arrived at their destination.


    Entering the clinic they were greeted by the town healer, a six foot high selarin female with a long serpent half for her lower body. The young woman seemed regal and dignified, her time at the academy showing by how she carried herself.


    ¡°Greetings and welcome to my clinic. My name is Allis Sphara. How may I aid you today?¡± Allis said with a half bow and a practiced greeting that they''ve probably done hundreds of times.


    ¡°Well met, I am Elaria and this is Leo. I would like some physical treatment for my injury, as well as any medicine to help with it.¡± She explained while gesturing to her swollen ankle.


    Allis wore a slightly cold expression. ¡°I''ll see what I can do with some of the ointments and medicinal herbs, but I can''t spare anything else. the local lord ordered me to start rationing medical supplies, so I can''t spare much on such a simple injury.¡± She explained with a near practiced tonal speech.


    ¡®Gods, everywhere I turn I''m reminded of the war¡­¡¯ Elaria thought bitterly as she reached for her coin.


    ¡°What about magic?¡± Leo asked the healer curiously.


    Allis scoffed with a mocking smirk. ¡°This is not some charity, the minimum price is 10 silver for that service.¡±


    The inconspicuous summon gawked as his eyes widened in shock, then he asked a very conspicuous question. ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡±


    The snobby mage crossed her arms and let out an exasperated breath. ¡°Because then everyone with even less than minor injuries would line up to be healed, and people tend to value self preservation less if it was so easy for someone to magic the pain away.¡± She explained as if she was speaking to a child.


    The human had an expression between disgust and resignation, before it faded into a mischievous grin. ¡°As an aspiring mage myself, what would be the general knowledge needed to heal said injury? Simply out of curiosity.¡± He asked Allis while he exaggeratedly waved his booklet.


    The healer smirked and held a condescending tone. ¡°Well you would need to complete years of study at the academy. Studying anatomy and how the physical body functions, just to be able to understand how to feed mana into the injury.¡± She said with her head held high, but a slightly dour expression betrayed her intent.


    His eyebrow shot up, but it showed off as being only passively impressed. ¡°So a healer would need a basic understanding of muscles, ligaments, bone composition and blood flow to be able to heal, say a twisted ankle.¡± He inquired.


    ¡°Well just muscles and ligime- Wait how do you-¡±


    Allis was cut off by the man who had a wise smile speeding across his face. ¡°Thanks for the information, I was worried I needed to direct s-hels in some specific way or something.¡± He remarked with confidence while turning to Elaria.


    Allis huffed in indignation as he raised a hand toward Elaria''s ankle. ¡°Really, healing magic isn''t some tavern trick that you can attempt the first time. you won''t even know the right words, and in the world are-¡± Her rant was cut short by a green glow enveloping Elaria''s ankle.


    The swelling and bruises around her injury disappeared in moments, and the pain that throbbed around it faded completely as the warm green glow began to vanish.


    The freshly minted mage spoke after a few moments of shocked silence. ¡°Well, try walking,¡± He said with a bit of trepidation.


    Hesitant at first, Elaria put her weight onto her foot, then she started walking, and then jumping. ¡°It''s healed! It''s really healed! Leo yo-¡± Elaria''s excitement was cut off by Allis.


    ¡°WHAT?! This has to have been a trick, an illusion. Maybe staged...but that was magic and you didn''t even say anything?! No prayer! No chant! No words at all!¡± Allis yelled, directing her frenzied words at Leo as she slithered closer and closer to him.


    Allis''s gaze narrowed as they seemed to analyze him. ¡°Wait, I''ve studied the physiology of almost every race on the continent¡­ What exactly are you?¡±


    At that, Elaria elected to grab Leo by the arm and sprint out of the clinic, all the while a previously stunned Allis was yelling at them to stop. They ran ducking through alleyways until they finally lost her.


    Stopping to catch their breath, Elaria looked at Leo, then at her ankle, and after a moment, back to Leo. A lustful look crossed her face as she pulled on his arm and started quickly towards the Inn.


    ¡®Gods, I may have found the perfect man.¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Inconspicuous watcher


    Watching Leo get pulled back to the inn, the person let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Huh¡­ Given my little screw up, that went better than I expected..¡± The cloaked figure mused to themselves.


    Walking into a deserted alley they pulled out an orb to speak into it. ¡°Yez, It''s me. Seems I no longer need to constantly watch over the summon. So I should proceed as planned.¡±


    The orb responded with a sharp and bright glow. ¡°Already?! I thought you said he didn''t know magic, shouldn''t he start to try so he can protect himself?¡±


    ¡°He already did. He''s already learned to use strength enhancement, levitation and healing magic.¡± The figure told the orb, their words overlaid by a smug tone.


    The orb continued to brighten in intensity, making the figure walk further into the alley. ¡°All from scratch?! Just what the hell did you bring into this world that can learn to cast in a single day?!¡± Yez questioned accusingly.


    The figure took a moment, a little hesitant to answer. ¡°Does it matter? This gives us months of breathing room. I thought I would have had to step in a few times, but his new companion seems to be helping him along. Glad I didn''t kill her in the forest.¡± The figure responded, trying to divert the conversation.


    The orb''s bright glow subsided. ¡°She was the guard right? Is she trustworthy enough to advise? It would help if we had more information regarding him, we could work around any surprises.¡± Yez inquired, something that was entirely expected with how manipulative she was.


    The figure paused to think before speaking, not entirely sure if that would be a good idea given how the summoning went. ¡°No, I think a more hands off approach is needed. I''ll check in on them daily while I set up the next phase of the plan, but I don''t think he''ll be too much trouble to handle.¡±


    The orbs glow continued dimly. ¡°Alright then, but I don''t like how fast you''re going, so slow down. Also, even though we want him to grow attached to the town, we don''t want him to plant his feet there forever. He''ll be useful in removing the council.¡± Yez remarked casually.


    The figure tensed up, and their head darted all around for anyone listening. ¡°SHhhh, You may be safe enough in a fortress built to protect against an invasion, but I''m not.¡± The figure hissed. ¡°Anyway, I''ll report back when we can initiate the next step, or if anything of import happens with the summon.¡±


    The orb nearly blinked out, but spiked again as Yez spoke. ¡°By the way, what''s his name? If we want to avoid prying eyes, then we should stop referring to him as something that would draw so much attention.¡±


    ¡°He calls himself Leo.¡±


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 8.5 - Pancake Break (NSFW)

    ________________________________________________


    Leo X Elaria


    Elaria pulled Leo by the arm and sped her way to the inn, practically dragging him across town so she could finally fuck his frustratingly dense brains out. They were still a little winded from being chased through the alleyways, but this was more of a fast walk than a full sprint, so they gradually got a hold of themselves as they traveled back to the inn.


    The human took obvious notice of how eager she was to get back to the inn after he healed her ankle. ¡®Maybe she''s hungry and doesn''t want to miss out on lunch?¡¯ He thought, partially unaware of how dense he was actually being.


    Lunch was suddenly the least important thing on her mind, as the emotional stress of the last day and a half had not been easy, and she was desperately craving an outlet to relieve said stress. When they entered the Inn, she let go of him and headed straight to Kesl who was manning the bar.


    ¡°How much for room service for the rest of the day?¡± She asked impatiently, a hunger in her gaze that would only be sated by one thing that she wanted to fill her.


    Kesl''s brows shot up, noticing that she was no longer injured, and was taken aback by the intensity of her determination. ¡°Uhh, that''ll be 2 copper.¡± He answered before she slammed the coin on the counter and started dragging Leo back to their room.


    Confused and still oblivious to her goals, he was once again being dragged by the woman on a mission. ¡°Um, what about lunch?¡± He asked dumbly right before they walked down stairs.


    Elaria stopped to give him an exasperated look, then pulled him into a deep sensual kiss, and he felt her long, soft, forked tongue wrap around his as the kiss was drawn out for what felt like ages. As his tongue was in a losing battle for dominance, everything finally clicked for the hopelessly dense man.


    The feeling of the kiss sent a shiver down Elaria''s spine, and the warmth of it almost enveloped her as they pressed against each other. When she finally pulled away she gave him a lust filled predatory gaze.


    The human''s second brain dropkicked all other reason to the side, as his own lustful expression crashed through his restraint. ¡°Or it can wait, yeah, I think it can definitely wait.¡± He remarked while still feeling a little dazed from the kiss.


    Elaria licked her lips hungrily and noticed that there were a few prying eyes from people who arrived before the lunch rush, their faces a mixture of lust and jealousy. She giggled at the attention as they continued down to their room, while the both of them glanced hungrily at each other out of the corner of their eyes.


    When they finally got to their room, Elaria''s clothes practically disappeared before they made it halfway in, and Leo had only gotten off his shirt when he was spun around and pushed, back first, onto the bed.


    Propping himself up, he felt his sweatpants and boxers fly off, and he didn''t know whether to be impressed with the speed at which Elaria stripped herself or him.


    Time seemed to stop as the both of them gazed at each other''s nude forms, practically drinking in one another''s bodies as they lustfully examined every inch.


    To Leo, Elaria was breathtaking. Some of his initial assumptions about what she looked like underneath her clothes were wrong though. Not all of her scales were entirely green. Their color started to fade quickly into a more pale shade of softer, smaller scales that covered most of her chest and stomach, completely enveloping her breasts, which were perky and seemed just large enough to grip and play with.


    The pale scales flowed down the front of her body, and wrapped around to cover her groin, before they faded back into the light green on her firm and slender inner thighs. Deviating slightly from the human form, she walked on the front half of her feet, as the back of her foot was smoothed upward, and she had four toes, three large and one small, all having dulled claws at the end of them. Her form was overall slender and a lot sleeker than he thought, only accentuating her reptilian features further, adding to her sexually alluring figure.


    To Elaria, Leo was mesmerizing, and since Leo was human, this would be a unique experience for her. She''s slept with selarin, dwarves, and even a tiefling, but this was definitely different. Though his body shape was between that of a dwarf and elf, his tan skin and the sparse hair along his body made him look more primal. His body was relatively toned, with his legs more defined than his arms, hinting at a preference for running, and the thought of those powerful thighs slamming into her made her rub her legs together in anticipation.


    But what the horny selarin really couldn''t draw her gaze away from, was his cock. At full mast it resembled a dwarfs, but it was as long as a selarin''s. The thought of something that long and thick pounding into her sent a wave of fear and arousal through her, and she slowly lowered herself onto her knees between his legs as he sat at the edge of the bed. Placing one hand on his thigh she then started stroking his shaft with the other, gazing up lustfully at him as she did so.


    Leo''s breathing began to deepen as the selarin''s cool silky scaled hands worked his shaft, up and down in agonizingly slow teasing motions. He looked down and was met with the sight of Elaria''s simmering gaze, who started to extend her long forked tongue to wrap around his throbbing member. His breath hitched as her tongue''s coiling movements sent pleasure up his body, and Elaria''s lips curled in satisfaction at his reactions.


    Elaria continued the activity for only a few moments, before taking his full length into her mouth, while placing her free hand on his other thigh. He let out a short gasp as his hot rod slid effortlessly down her throat, as the front of her face now pressed against the bottom of his stomach. She held the position looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her large amber eyes, his head tilting back to the feeling of her mouth and throat gripping around his shaft.


    The sultry selarin¡¯s mouth felt cool, a little below room temperature, but between her long coiling tongue and soft slick mouth, it felt incredible.


    Elaria relished in the flaming heat that radiated inside her mouth, and she slowly pulled her head back to breathe in his scent as her throat cleared of the throbbing appendage. A shudder ran up her legs as the tip of his cock almost exited her mouth, but before her wanted prize left her she plunged back down. She could hear him start to lose control of his breathing as she began frantically bobbing her head, her movement increasing in speed as she became more and more intoxicated from his scent.


    While Elaria sunk deeper into ecstasy, one of her hands found its way between her legs, and her lower body tensed while she started to pleasure herself, eliciting deep moans in the process as her eyes glazed over in pleasure.


    He was in pure bliss as the selarin''s motions seemed to devolve into a frenzy of twisting and turning, barreling him closer to the edge, and his hands clenched the sheet for a moment as his body started to tense. ¡°I~ I''m~... Gonna~.¡± He breathed out through half restrained breaths and placed a hand on the back of her head as she dropped to his base once more, his body going rigid from the sudden release into the desperate woman.


    Elaria''s free arm wrapped around his waist as his climax sent jets of cum down her throat, its heat feeling like lava to the selarin. Her tongue curled tightly around his pulsing shaft, needily trying to milk every last drop. As the feeling of his warmth overwhelmed her, she experienced her own tremors of pleasure. Between her own efforts on her clit and his unusually strong pheromones, it was surprisingly easy to reach her own peak with minimal effort, part of her body tensing up as a result.


    As the intensity of their climaxes passed, leaving them both a mild afterglow, she drew back off of him while taking care to make sure she swallowed all of his seed. They both were panting at the experience when his length finally left her now warm mouth, the partially satisfied selarin taking in one last shuddering breath of the human''s arousing scent.


    ¡°That...Was¡­ Incredible¡­¡± He remarked between pants, his arms holding himself up as he leaned back.


    ¡°Well¡­ I wanted to¡­ Show off some selarin specialty. I just wish I could have held back a bit.¡± She said while trying to quickly recover, so she could show a bit of confidence.


    A satisfied smile crept across his face before he could muster a response. ¡°Hold back, are you kidding? That felt amazing, I just wish I could return the favor. I don''t exactly know what humans are good at, since we''ve had nothing to compare to. But I guess we''ll see when I''m up again in a bit.¡± He glanced down at the now shocked selarin.


    ¡°What do you mean by a bit?¡± She asked while just now noticing his partially limp cock start to rise once more. She could only watch in awe as he became erect again, while her eyes widened in total disbelief. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Leo noticed the stock-still selarin, and mulled over the reason for her reaction, then a sly smile crossed his face when the answer dawned on him. ¡°I take it that most races don''t have a good recovery time?¡± He remarked with a smug tone, the words pulling her out of her bewilderment.


    Elaria shook her head, her gaze still fixated on the pulsing appendage. ¡°I think the males from the beast clans might, and there are rumors about dragons. There''s even a common saying about having the stamina of a dragon.¡± She answered while an eager look spread across her face, and a ravenous and carnal lust started to overtake her.


    ¡°Well then, I guess I do have-¡± His remark was cut short by Elaria leaping onto him.


    She pushed him onto his back, and pressed her body against his while their tongues wrestled. He hugged her tight as her hips started grinding against his, her wet slit stroking up and down his shaft, making her moan softly into his mouth. She lost all self control from his scent, while the heat from his raging furnace of a body made her own start to go a little numb.


    The last of her cognizant thoughts noted that his scent seemed to submerge her into a complete state of arousal, making her ravenous with lust.


    Finally pulling away from him, she sat up right, and looked down as she straddled his hips. She held herself up over his pulsing cock, and her aching body couldn''t hold back her need to have him fill her as she plummeted down in one swift motion. She came immediately from the sudden penetration, her insides practically melting from his burning rod.


    ¡°So~ Hot~ Th-hick~ and~ Deeeep~¡± She slurred, her tongue hanging out while she wore a drunk expression from nearly hilting him.


    He too was in a deep ecstasy from the sudden sensations, feeling her cool walls grip him like a vice when she came. A subtle amount of fat gave way to his fingers when his hands reflexively moved to find purchase on her firm hips.


    She drew in a sharp breath as he started rocking her around in small motions, churning her insides as she let out uncontrolled moans of pleasure. There was a desperate urge to rise and slam back down, but her legs felt so weak that it was hard to keep herself up right.


    Gazing down pleadingly, she asked the remarkably virile man. ¡°Please~ flip~ us over, and f-uck me~ Cant move.¡±


    Swiftly he carried out the request, making sure to stay inside her tight little cunt while doing so. He held himself still above her for a moment, his eyes taking in her form as she lay on her back, while hers were half-lidded in pleasure. He started to pull himself out slowly, and he felt her warm folds try desperately to suck him back into their embrace.


    Elaria let out an irritated groan. ¡°Just fuck me already!¡± She cried out desperately.


    He initially thought that she would like a gradual increase, so he held himself back from immediately going at it. But at her command he threw away all self control and started thrusting into her with reckless abandon, giving in completely to his desire to fuck the woman senseless. Her breasts bounced as he rammed into her, drawing him in to start fondling her with one hand, while the other held her just above her hips so he could continue his assault.


    She lost all sense of herself as he pounded into her like a piston, her mind blanking in time with his rhythm, which caused further bursts of pleasure when he began massaging her breasts. Her tail frantically whipped about until it wrapped around his thigh and started tightening and releasing its grip in relation to the force of his thrusting.


    The sound of her pleasure filled wailing was barely matched by the moist slamming of his cock into her, and the carnal sounds filling the room echoed slightly against the stone walls which only served to push the two further into a sexual fervor.


    Elaria''s body temperature continued to rise as the heat from him flowed into her, causing her tongue to rest outside her mouth while she panted.


    It took a while, but Leo was nearing his limit once more as he felt her walls clench every time he fully penetrated the woman. ¡°I''m~ Getting close¡­¡± He said through suppressed grunts, her slutty expression, unrestrained moans, and silky smooth yet firm body edging him on.


    She held out her arms to pull him down into a kiss, and her sound of pleasure became muffled as a result. Her hand slid down his back, her small claw-like nails scratching softly at his skin. As his pace grew in intensity, she began to feel a powerful orgasm start to build, and she fully submitted to the man that was giving her a feeling that she could never hope for in any other person.


    Eventually he reached his limit, slamming one last powerful thrust into her and began filling her depths with himself. He could feel her clench firmly around him, her roiling walls trembling as they matched one another in intimate bliss.


    She felt like an utterly euphoric lava was being pumped into her, just as an immense climax rocked her entire body while her insides got bathed in his warmth. Her body wanted nothing more than to drive him deeper, which reflexively caused her previously limp legs to shoot up and lock around him.


    They both held each other for a time, riding out the residual bliss of their peaks, before they finally parted and he rolled over to her left. He was exhausted, taking deep breaths to calm himself as he looked over to the cum filled selarin. A tiny part of him wondered if there was a possibility of impregnating her, but that notion got moved to the side in priority when he noticed her gaze seemed distant as her breathing continued to be ragged.


    Her chest heaved with no visible attempt at restraint, causing his eyes to narrow further when her state did not appear to change at all. ¡°Hey, Elaria, are you alright?¡± He asked worriedly.


    With no response, he put a hand on her shoulder and his eyes shot wide as she felt like she was burning up. Feeling her up some more, it seemed like she was having a fever, but a bolt of fear hit him as he remembered that Elaria''s resting body temperature felt like it was below room temperature. So with how hot she is, she was likely to have a heat stroke.


    Leo started to panic, trying to think of a way to cool her. His body heat might be her tipping point if he tried to carry her to the shower, and he couldn''t just dump cold water on her, it could send her into thermal shock. He could get some drinking water, but she might just choke on it in the state she''s in.


    ¡®I need a way to cool her gradually...¡¯ His thoughts trailed off as he remembered that he had fucking magic.


    Mentaly kicking himself for forgetting, he thought of the simplest solution. After testing it on his own hand, he started on a spell to gradually transfer the thermal energy out of her, and into the stone walls of the room, and the spell would stop when her body temperature matched that of the room. As the spell did its work, Elaria let out a gasp and immediately burst into consciousness.


    ¡°Wha, what happened!¡± She yelled while she quickly took control of her breathing.


    Leo let out a relieved sigh. ¡°Well, I may have nearly fucked you into a heat stroke...¡± He admitted sheepishly.


    She was completely speechless as she processed his words. On the few occasions she had with a dwarf, she always felt very hot afterwards, but it could never reach the level that Leo seemed to achieve, from what she remembered when she was conscious anyway.


    Being nearly fucked to death was not something she expected, especially from a man, but she would be lying if the idea itself didn''t turn her on. ¡°Oh... How did you manage to cool me down?¡± She curiously inquired.


    ¡°I used magic, I moved the heat from your body into that wall ov-¡± A knock at the door interrupted his response.


    It was probably the room service delivering their lunch, so he quickly put on his boxers and went to answer the door. A flustered red scaled female selarin quickly handed over a large tray of food before rushing off. Stepping slightly outside the door to yell a thanks, he felt something wet under his feet. Looking down with a raised eyebrow, he saw a small puddle of slick fluid, and the gears in his head didn''t take long to put together its source.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± He breathed out with wide eyed realization, before turning back into the room like nothing happened.


    ¡­


    After a short break to eat they made their way back to the bed, and Elaria couldn''t help but notice that Leo was very much recovered from their previous activities.


    She raised a brow, becoming lost in thought before speaking. ¡°So... Since you apparently have the stamina of a dragon, I have just one question.¡± She said playfully before pressing herself against him from behind.


    ¡°Using your magic, exactly how long can you maintain my body temperature?¡± She whispered seductively into his ear.


    Leo simply smiled in response, and the rest of the day was filled with near animalistic fucking as the two went at it, only stopping for dinner before returning to their carnal acts.


    Eventually they fell asleep as the physical exhaustion took them both.


    ¡­


    Waking up the next day, Elaria prodded him into assisting her out of bed. Due to yesterday''s very extended intimacy, she needed to use him as her new crutch for the day. After a shared shower that refreshed them both, they headed up for breakfast.


    As they took a seat at one of the tables, the selarin that delivered room service yesterday came by with two hot plates of food. Setting them down on the table, she gave Leo a wink before turning around back to the kitchen. Elaria gave him a suspicious look, but he dug into his food to shift the mood.


    He let out a satisfied moan as he swallowed some of his golden meal.


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­ Pancakes¡­¡±


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 9

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    After having a satisfying breakfast, Leo and Elaria were relaxing at a table in the inn''s eating area. The disappointed human was flipping through his little magical booklet, skipping over full pages that discussed the importance of the words for spell initiation.


    He felt like the amount of money spent on it was far from worth it as he passed over dozens of pages. Even all of the more complex information seemed like something he could figure out after a few hours of experimenting.


    [ Mana potions can be made by forcing mana out of your body into a pool of water. ]


    [ Triggers can be set on spells for traps, complex interactions, or secondary spell input. ]


    [ Spells can be augmented by timers. ]


    [ Persistent spells need a large initial expenditure of mana, followed by being fed a smaller flow to sustain it for longer. ]


    As he neared the end of the guide, he began to notice that there wasn''t a single mention of runic magic. ¡®Damn basic bitch booklet...¡¯ He thought in frustration, while trying to suppress an eye twitch when he reached the end.


    Elaria smirked upon seeing Leo''s irritated expression. ¡°What''s wrong, is magic still too easy?¡± She prodded, before eating some of her scrambled eggs.


    He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, not knowing how to properly explain how broken the system actually was. ¡°Yeah, irritatingly so. I''ll have to pay you back for the waste of money.¡± He responded apologetically.


    An impish smile played on her lips. ¡°Consider some of that debt paid after what you did to me all afternoon yesterday. You''ll just have to work off the rest, after I can walk straight again.¡± She purred while he faintly blushed as he recalled yesterday''s physical activities.


    Grinning at the prospect, he admired Elaria with a yearning look. ¡°If that''s how I''m repaying you, then I might have to find a way to indebt myself further.¡± He jokingly teased the alluring woman.


    The green scaled selarin chuckled, apparently finding the comment very amusing. ¡°Well, you do need new clothes. No offence, but you look like you work in the fields.¡± She jabbed playfully.


    He slumped back in his chair, and looked down at his clothes with a frown. ¡°None taken, since I''ve essentially been walking around in my P-jays.¡± The dejected man sighed a little before taking a gulp from his water filled mug.


    ¡°Your what?¡± She questioned with a cocked head and confusion written across her face.


    The human groaned at the question, remembering that not all his words managed to be translated by the necklace. ¡°Er, sleep clothes. Even though I feel fairly comfortable, I need something more durable. I already have a few small holes and tears from my trek through the forest that are widening.¡± He explained while poking a finger into one of said holes in his shirt.


    She seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking. ¡°I know that I chose to drop the subject, but can you just answer something that''s been bothering me about your trade? You don''t look like you''ve ever done much physically demanding work, but the way you carry yourself is like you''ve seen all that the world has to offer.¡± She finished as she set her empty plate to the side.


    Leo pulled at his short facial hair as he took a moment to collect his thoughts. ¡°Without going into too much detail, what I did involved a lot of world building. That means creating an entire fictional world, fabricating every detail that you could think of. The creatures, races, technology, governments, culture, laws, ethics, conflicts, nature, geography, history, and every other general aspect of the world I had to technically come up with from scratch. And to be able to do all of that, I needed to have a basic understanding of nearly all of those aspects in regard to my own world. So I researched, as well as taking inspiration from other mediums, such as stories, fables, myths and other world builders. All in an effort to make and share it with one another.¡± He paused to try and come up with a way to explain how a video game was made, but elected to just gloss over that can of worms.


    ¡°Besides creating a world, the way I went about sharing it was a little more complex than simply writing in a book. As well as being very irritating¡­ But that side is irrelevant, and would take way too long to explain.¡± He finished his explanation as he downed the last of his water.


    She stared at him, mouth agape and seemingly overwhelmed by the information. ¡°So you essentially play god¡­¡± It was not so much asked as stated to him.


    It was a pretty spot on analogy, even if he wanted to refute it out of principle. ¡°Well, yeah, I guess. I hope that doesn''t seem heretical...¡± He sheepishly responded while rubbing the back of his neck, but his fears were initially alleviated from his selarin lover barking a laugh.


    ¡°As long as you don''t tell that to any temple priests I think you''ll be fine. You probably have more to worry about from the dragons.¡± She pointed out, much to his dismay.


    ¡°At least they would just imprison me or something.¡± He remarked dejectedly.


    ¡°Nah, they would most likely send an assassin after you.¡± She corrected.


    An amused thought caused him to stifle a laugh. ¡°Oh, that seems much better. Let me guess, they dress in white hooded robes and have a hidden retractable blade.¡± He uttered jokingly.


    ¡°Those Assassins are on your world too then?¡± She questioned casually, while he thought ¡®for fucks sake¡¯ in response.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Kind of¡­ Anyway, what''s the plan for today. I know I need new clothes, but I would like to ask around for how to start doing runic magic. This book had nothing on the subject, and that other side of my trade is itching to learn. I would also like to experiment somewhere with my magic, preferably away from too many prying eyes.¡± He inquired while doing his best to finally start chewing through the unseasoned ham slices. It was juicy, but that was all it really had going for it¡­


    She leaned forward onto the table, resting her head on her knuckles. ¡°Then we should start by going to the market to get you something new to wear, maybe some people there know something about runes. Then we can head just outside the wall, the field we crossed the other day would be perfect, as long as you don''t mind Glia watching, that''s the guard you met on the way in. We don''t need to rush though, since we have a full day ahead of us as well as a few weeks of off time, before I need to rejoin the guard.¡±


    He recalled the amount of money spent on the room with a raised brow. ¡°Off time? I thought you were clear for at least two months.¡±


    The reptilaness deflated at his question, folding her arms while slumping her head into them. ¡°I was healed so I have to return, but I have about three weeks off by law. Since it is so expensive to get healed, the very wealthy or very injured are the most likely to buy such a service. This created a situation that said injured soldiers would need time to recover mentally, and the wealthy use it as a vacation.¡± She explained with mild irritation.


    The more he learned about how the selarin military functioned, the more he questioned why there hasn''t been some revolution by now. ¡®The whole kicking people out naked would cause the army alone to attempt a coup, so the fuck kind of balancing act of power are they managing to be able to keep things together¡­?¡¯


    ¡°I''m guessing you can''t just quit then?¡± He probed, wanting to see if he could help her with a way out.


    She sighed. ¡°Not without having a small bounty placed on your head, and slavers having the go ahead to capture you.¡±


    ¡®Ah...That''s one fucked up weight on the scale I guess, turns deserters and bandits into targets.¡¯ He reflected bitterly.


    ¡°Or pay a gold coin to leave service.¡± She continued.


    ¡®And that''s one more strike against those with power. The fuck?¡¯ He thought with abject confusion, noting that an out like that would piss off everyone who wasn''t rich, which would be a very large portion of the military.


    ¡°I assume you don''t want to continue service then, I would imagine most people don''t like how the military''s run.¡± He questioned, fully inclined to assist in getting her discharged.


    ¡°Yeah, and that''s an understatement. Most people join to avoid going hungry, or doing exhausting physical labor. Field work, mining, quarries, logging, the work can often kill.¡± Her visage darkened as she sat up. ¡°Though there are worse situations¡­¡±


    ¡°Why hasn''t there been a rebellion?¡± He reflexively asked as his irritation with Selaria continued to grow.


    Elaria sighed in resignation. ¡°There have been, every few generations one pops up and gets squashed. Whether it''s a town that declares independence or a peasant uprising, a few dozen mages from the academy can clean up just about anything. Not to mention the slavers¡­or mercenaries who see it as a profit.¡± She ended with a slightly pained expression.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He said, finally finding a very important piece of the puzzle. ¡®Control the magic, control the population. Not much someone with a pitch fork can do against a fireball to the face.¡¯ He finally realized.


    Now that he had a very important question answered he decided to press her on her willingness to leave the guard. ¡°So what if I managed to pay off your service? I''m sure I can make something out of runic magic to sell, gotta learn ho-¡± He was cut off when she practically slammed into him, hugging him tightly as she kissed him deeply.


    Pulling away from the kiss she leaned in closer to him. ¡°I think if you manage that, then I would have to start paying off said debt for a long time.¡± She whispered seductively into his ear.


    His heart skipped a beat at her words, and an unrestrained smile spread across his face. ¡°Right then, I think I should get started. But before we head out, let me go ask Kesl about the runes used in the inn, it is my first lead.¡±


    ¡°Well hurry up. I don''t think I''ll be able to walk well on my own for another hour or so, and just like with the ankle it''s all your fault.¡± She jabbed playfully with a wide grin while her tail whipped excitedly.


    He rolled his eyes but couldn''t suppress a self satisfied smirk as he walked over to Kesl. As he walked over, he noticed that all the eyes of the rest of the inn were solely directed at him, and the intensity was many times what it was previously.


    ¡°Morning Kesl. Thanks for helping us out yesterday.¡± He greeted the large selarin warmly, genuinely grateful for his help the previous morning.


    Kesl smiled down at Leo, making him feel a little more at ease around the visually intimidating man, but he still had to suppress a flinch at the teeth. ¡°Morning, Leo, was it? You don''t have to thank me for tossing garbage out of my inn. Besides, between the way you looked at her and what you did to her hand, you definitely didn''t need my help.¡±


    Leo was going to ask about the inn''s showers, but he couldn''t shake the feeling he got from the intense stares. ¡°Right, um. I wanted to ask you a question.¡± He paused to look around at most of the fixated onlookers. ¡°But now I''ve got two.¡±


    The large innkeeper let out a snort. ¡°Listen, the walls of the inn are dense enough to block out anything. The door though, pretty light wood. The halls can also carry the sound of a yell for quite the distance.¡± He told him while failing to suppress a smirk.


    Leo''s face turned red as the information sunk in. He could also start to hear giggling from the tables within earshot, which didn''t help his growing embarrassment. ¡®Note to self, set up a magical sound barrier next time.¡¯ He mentally engraved into his mind, certain that he wouldn''t forget this embarrassing experience again.


    ¡°Well, since that''s answered... I want to learn runic magic, and I''d like to know who gave you the ones for your inn.¡± He asked awkwardly while trying his hardest to ignore the lustful stares that were still drilling into the back of his head.


    Kesl looked him over. ¡°Hmph, yeah, figured you were a mage. Sorry but I got the work done from a traveling mage, so he could be anywhere on the continent for all I know. But there is someone in town that I pay when one of them stops working, or goes fucky. Don''t think she''ll be much help though, she''s a real stuck up bitch from the academy, expensive too. Now what was her name...¡± He trailed off, cupping a hand around his chin while he searched his thoughts.


    ¡®Gonna have to fake being a novice, don''t want to repeat what happened at the clinic¡­ Wait a min-¡¯


    ¡°Allis something, she''s a healer that runs the town''s clinic.¡± Kesl remarked casually.


    ¡®Fuck.¡¯


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 10

    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria''s day could not have started off more perfectly. She had a delicious breakfast, no twisted ankle, a few weeks off from the guard, a year of pent up urges satisfied, and the prospect of probably spending the rest of her life with a soon to be wealthy mage who was kind, handsome, and a dragon in bed. For a moment she thought she was dreaming, because nothing short of dragons busting into the inn could ruin her mood.


    That''s when Leo returned appearing troubled, his brow scrunched up and filled with concern. ¡°Um, hey, so¡­ I know who to talk to¡­¡± He started a bit sheepishly.


    ¡®Hm? Probably someone from the academy right, most are stuck up and pricey, but it shouldn''t be too bad.¡¯ She took a swig of her mead.


    ¡°It''s the healer.¡± He finished, causing her to nearly choke on her drink.


    And like that, her mood was ruined.


    ¡°You can''t be serious¡­ With what you pulled in front of her, there''s no way she''d settle for the whole escaped slave story. Hell she might just figure out what you are, she was already in the process of doing so.¡± She remarked incredulously after having a small coughing fit from her beverage.


    ¡°Well I need to learn runic magic if I want to start making any money, and Kesl says that''s the only mage in town that he knows of. Still you''re right, it''ll be best if we go to her as a last resort.¡± He explained with a shrug that was far from assuring.


    ¡°Damn it. Let''s go buy you some clothes and ask around at the market, maybe we''ll run into a traveling mage.¡± She told him with a hint of irritation while gesturing for him to help start his job as her crutch for the day.


    The jelly legged selarin was helped from her seat, an arm locked around Leo as she leaned on him while they started toward the exit. A smug expression crossed her face as she felt the jealousy of the inn''s other patrons, which didn''t escape the previously obstinate man¡¯s notice.


    The warm blooded human raised an eyebrow and hugged her a little tighter to get her attention, which worked way too well as she let out a small contented sigh from the welcomed body heat. ¡°Did you know about the sound?¡± He probed accusingly.


    She winced a little. ¡°The rest of the rooms are empty during the lunch rush and I didn''t think we''d be able to go for so long. I may have forgotten somewhere along the line¡­¡± She said defensively, but still privately found the whole experience as a major turn on.


    A conflicted frown drew across his lips while he let out an exasperated breath. ¡°As ego boosting as it is, I''m not looking forward to the rumors spreading across town...¡± He trailed off dejectedly.


    She realized that such a rumor would not be good for his cover. ¡°Oh, right¡­¡±


    He groaned. ¡°I just hope we can finish up at the market before it spreads.¡±


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    The trip to the market was uneventful, say for the norm of being stared at along the way. Having been randomly brought to another world caused him to half expect some special event to appear, where he would have to save the town from destruction or some crap like that. Not that he would risk doing that though, attention-bad, and he has no level of perspective on the dangers that this fantasy world had in store for him. The more he learned about the new world he found himself in, the more he thought that getting noticed by someone with a modicum of authority would be a good way to get him killed, enslaved, or tortured.


    ¡®The powers that be seem to dole out some pretty fucked up punishments to anyone attempting to rock the boat.¡¯ He thought grimly to himself, because it wasn''t like he could do anything about it.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    When they arrived at the market, Elaria directed Leo to the elven side, and told him that the elves sold clothing more often, and for different races. He thought that seemed a little on the nose, but dwarves dealing in armor and weapons wasn''t much better.


    They pretty much found that the first stall sold clothes, and he got his first good look at an elf, but did not expect the type in front of him.


    If he had to be honest they looked less like the generic fantasy elves, just humans with pointy ears, and more like warcraft high elves. She stood just a foot taller than Leo, nearly as slim. She had very long ears that shot straight up, the tips just passing the top of her head. Her skin was fair, not pale though.


    The eyes were a little larger than a human''s, so were the irises, which were slightly transparent, blending into the sclera as they glowed faintly. She had no pupils, or what seemed like no pupils as it was the same color as the sclera, making it difficult to tell if she even had them. The sclera also seemed to be not white, but a very light shade of blue. Her face looked almost unnaturally soft and symmetrical, just hitting that too perfect threshold.


    The elven clothier was very visibly confused at the sight of the shorter human, but Elaria stepped forward immediately and told him to give them some privacy as they worked out a deal. He stepped back as the two talked and browsed the racks behind the stall, but the value of everything was sort of lost on him for obvious reasons, which only served to bring his thoughts back to his lack of wealth and how exactly he would go about making some. He would definitely make money faster from reinventing things from earth, but what should he make?


    ¡®A cell phone? A car? TV? No cant make things that scream hey I''m from another world! Maybe magical tupperware? Could sell it to a wide range of people, maybe even add temperature settings. Could start by selling some to Kesl. I wonder what kind of foods he can make? WAIT! I could maybe sell him some recipes, pizza, fried chicken, hell maybe even just grilled cheese. I could ask for a percentage of total sales every month, that''ll definitely be a steady source of income, or maybe just free meals because some of their food is pretty bland¡­ Loved the pancakes though.¡¯ Eventually he was pulled out of his thoughts by Elaria calling him over.


    The elf pulled out a tape to take his body measurements, although she might have been a little too thorough, not that he minded, elves were sort of a unique kind of fantasy for a younger Leo. He did note that the measuring tape wasn''t mechanical, and that maybe he could invent one to sell.


    When she was done with her measurements she went over the racks, pulled down a set of clothes, and motioned for him to try them on behind a standing curtain. The pants were a loose fit, dark gray, and felt durable while still being comfortable. The shirt was short sleeved, white and also a loose fit. It looked like it was made out of cotton, but felt way heavier than his normal t-shirt. The boots were leather, and crept halfway up his shin fully laced. He put on an over the shoulder leather bag that seemed like a foot in diameter. Lastly he put on a dark blue jacket, which had a hooded cloak sewn onto the shoulders. The cloak felt light and went down to just below the knees.


    The clothes seemed to fit perfectly, and he walked out to show Elaria once he got them on. She seemed more than pleased with his appearance, judging from the warm smile that spread across her face. He went over to a standing mirror to get a better view of himself and was a bit impressed at the sight, because he definitely looked like he walked out of a fantasy/medieval convention, but the clothing was genuine and felt very durable.


    They walked over to the elf who was talking to another customer, but the customer left after spotting the two of them. Elaria gave the elf two silver and forty copper, but there was something that seemed different about the merchant''s expression.


    The elf looked at him with a much deeper predatory glare than before, her ears perking up slightly as her eyes seemed to drink him in. ¡°Oh, don''t you look dashing, but somethings missing... Hold on.¡± She remarked before rummaging through a small pile of clothes.


    Grabbing a very long dark gray scarf, she sauntered up to him, pressed her body close to him from the front, and took a slow care to drape it around his neck. Even though she could have just handed him the scarf, he wasn''t going to dare utter a word after getting a face full of her chest.


    Elaria was unamused to say the least. ¡°We''re not going to buy that.¡± She said with a mild irritation.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it, this is on the house. I would be remiss if I left a man''s wardrobe incomplete.¡± The elf responded in a sultry tone.


    Leo thanked her and was going to mentally chalk up the behavior to the fucked ratio. He would also be a liar if he said that he didn''t very much enjoy this little experience, mostly because she was an elf, which again, added a different kind of appeal given all the media back on earth.


    A yell was directed at him from that overly sultry voice. ¡°Come back again, Mr. dragon!¡± The call sent a wave of frustration over him, as everyone in town would soon know about his abilities.


    *Mild Internal Screaming*


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 11

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Asking around the market for information regarding runic magic proved to be a fruitless effort, as well as becoming incredibly uncomfortable for the normally reserved human. The rumor of his stamina seemed to be spreading through the town faster than a plague, because every other elf they asked tried to lead the conversation to said activities, and the selarins were not much better. He didn''t have as much of a problem with the dwarves, that is until one decided to cop a feel, which promptly ended the investigation.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine with the odd sensual or chased touch, but out right grabbing my junk is another matter¡­¡¯


    They decided to head to the fields so he could experiment with his magic, opting to try asking around again later as they didn''t want to give up on avoiding the healer, because the situation with her was thoroughly fucked.


    They greeted Glia as they passed the town''s walls, exiting out the smallest and most untraveled gate. Now that he got a good look at her, she was just a little taller than him, and seemed to be the same subspecies, ¡®Subrace?¡¯, as Elaria, but she had black scales and her facial features were a lot sharper. She had bright blue eyes and a tail that was as long as her body height, which tapered a lot less than Elaria''s, ending as a rounded tip. And her form was fit, but a little more filled out than Elaria¡¯s, which made her curve in all the right places.


    ¡°Hey Glia.¡± Elaria greeted with a cheery tone.


    ¡°Oh hey, Elaria? ¡­¡± Glia responded with a bit of confusion, as she noticed her ankle. ¡°How the hell did you get a healer to fix that? It looked pretty fucked the other day.¡± She questioned while her blue eyes peered over Leo suspiciously.


    ¡°Well it turns out that Leo here isn''t such a dumbass after all, he lear-knows healing magic.¡± She half admitted to her friend, but he noticed a slight twitch of her tail.


    ¡°Why didn''t he heal you before the trip back?¡± Glia asked the green scaled selarin with a raised brow, while taking a glance at her tail.


    Leo stepped in upon realizing the obvious tell and seeing that she was drawing a blank on how to answer. ¡°I had temporarily lost my memory when I hit my head on a rock. When she tackled me we fell down a hill, that''s how she twisted her ankle and I got the head injury.¡±


    Glia looked between them with a questioning expression. ¡°Riiiight¡­ So what brings you to this ass end of the wall? Lost something?¡± She inquired, seemingly resigned to their explanation.


    ¡°No, I just needed somewhere open and secluded to experiment with my magic. Do you mind if I practice on the grassy field here?¡± He asked the obsidian scaled beauty.


    A wide grin appeared across her face. ¡°Not at all! Watching a mage fling spells is probably the best entertainment I could ever want! It will be a nice change of pace from watching grass grow.¡± She answered excitedly, while her tail whipped around in anticipation.


    Elaria shakily walked over to sit next to Glia, her jelly legs still not entirely gone. ¡°I''ll stay here by the wall and wait for you to come back. No offence, but as much as I would love seeing you cast new things up close, I don''t think it would be the safest idea.¡± She explained while shifting her legs to find a more comfortable position.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± He responded in complete understanding, thinking that it was probably the wisest course of action.


    Leaving the pair back at the wall, he walked out onto the field until he was nearly on the other side, because he wanted to use some of the trees on the forest''s edge as test subjects. Now that he finally had time to experiment, his mind started to draw a blank on what he should do or where he should start.


    ¡®If the information from the booklet is right, then I should be able to do damn near anything. I guess I should test my limits, but I shouldn''t attempt something like splitting an atom. Gotta remember that even though there''s no danger in the process of casting the spell, there is once the spell is cast. Messing with that kinda shit is a good way to set off a nuke to the face, and that''s the definition of stupid. Gonna file attempting anything like that under an Oh shit scenario.¡¯


    His gaze fell to the ground. ¡°Right then I should start small, let''s try something fairly obvious.¡± He thought aloud.


    He knelt down to pick up a few small pebbles, then stood up and placed one in the palm of his hand. Levitation felt like moving an object through thick water, not exactly what he would call effective as a combat spell.


    Tilting his hand toward a tree, he tried to cast a spell to launch the pebble like a bullet toward it. Nothing happened.


    The dumbfounded man stared dumbly at his hand. ¡°Huh? I guess it failed...¡±


    He tried to cast the spell a number of ways, from fast to just trying to knock it out of his hand. He visualized how the pebble would launch differently every time, and each attempt seemed to fail, which further added to his confusion.


    ¡°The fuck?¡± He spat in deep annoyance at the lack of any reaction while scowling at the small rock.


    He started scratching his head trying to figure out why it was failing. ¡®Am I missing something? Do I not have enough mana? Is my visualization off? Do I really need to shout ¡®Gun¡¯ when I cast? No... I think I need to go about this differently...¡¯


    Leo held out his hand with the pebble, but this time his palm wasn''t tilted toward anything. He cast levitation on it, then when it was floating in the air, slowly rotating, he tried to cast the same spell on it. This time he felt it go through, and the pebble spun very fast, but didn''t move anywhere.


    ¡°Well that did something¡­¡± He trailed off with a blank stare.


    Taking a moment to think, he watched the spin of the pebble start to slow. ¡®Does force already need to be applied or¡­¡¯


    A light bulb went off as his eyes widened at finding the missing piece of the puzzle. ¡°Acceleration!¡± He shouted in realization, with an accompanying facepalm.


    He tried the spell again, tilting his hand toward the tree. This time instead of just trying to apply a set and constant force, he took into account the acceleration, essentially snapping the spell. This time the pebble shot out with a sharp cracking sound, then he felt instant pain.


    ¡°F-FUCKING S-SH-HIT!¡± He cursed out through gritted teeth, as the pain from his hand caused an indescribable agony to shoot through his body.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The palm of his hand looked shredded, likely from the shock wave that spread out across it. He cast a healing spell on reflex upon seeing the damage, completely healing the wound in seconds.


    ¡°Thank fuck for magic¡­¡±  A sigh of relief escaped him as the excruciating pain vanished.


    Refocused, he looked over at the tree he was aiming at and saw bark missing at the point of impact, as well as a small hole at the center with a crack running up and down it.


    The technical success made him take a moment to order his thoughts. ¡®Well I know where I went wrong at least, my visualization was fucked. I was only thinking of applying force, no acceleration. The initial kick wasn''t doing anything because I hadn''t properly taken into account the acceleration, and the spell must have piggybacked off the levitation spell to make it spin. I was applying force but my intent and the principles I was applying didn''t match up, visualizing a path and direction without the specifics behind the motion ended up being half assed, so the spell failed.¡¯ He paused to let out a chuckle.


    ¡°God bless your soul Newton.¡± He thought aloud in an amused tone.


    ¡®Now I just need to launch it without making minced meat out of my hand¡­ Wait, why do I need to know something so specific for this and not healing magic? Maybe It''s a matter of directing mana?¡¯ He shook the tangent from his head and tried to feel around at his mana in an attempt to gauge just how much he used, but didn''t sense any noticeable change, either that or he couldn''t tell the difference.


    ¡°Damnit!¡± He was becoming irritated by the fact that he had no idea how much he had to work with.


    Undeterred by his lack of understanding, the inquisitive human set out to do just that as he continued with his testing, casting levitation on a few pebbles while spacing them out. Taking a cautious step back, he then cast the same spell on each one, visualizing and applying different levels of acceleration. Feeling around at his mana while doing so, he got the impression that he was taking a sip from it every time he cast a spell. The more acceleration he put into the spell, the larger the sip.


    And sensing that he didn''t really spend anything even after casting a dozen or so spells, he decided to alter his next spell out of boredom. He marked about several scattered trees in his head, then he cast a spell on a single levitating pebble to go through them on a visualized path he constructed in his mind. In an instant, with the force of a fifty cal, it went through a few of them before getting stuck.


    ¡°Fuck me, that actually worked?!¡± He exclaimed in utter shock, now questioning what could actually be done with magic.


    He truly didn''t know how to feel about what he did, because while it wasn''t anything like a nuclear detonation spell, the implications of what he could do with this alone frightened him. If he could path a spell then he could have the spell track heat, sound, light, electricity, maybe even heart rate. Probably could set it to path around anything, and never stop until it hit its target like some real world looney toons aimbot.


    ¡®I think I''m done experimenting down that path for now¡­ Gonna try something else a little less, terrifying¡­¡¯ He eyed the pebbles in his hand that now felt a little heavier.


    Tossing the tiny projectiles as much as hopefully the idea of ever using that specific spell again, he started thinking about what he should cast next. After a few moments in thought, a childish grin crossed his face before he started to visualize his next spell.


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria was sitting against the town walls while watching Leo, who seemed small as he was on the other side of the grassy field. She thought it was a good idea to not be in the direct vicinity if he decided to start actually playing with fire, but all she could make out was him just pacing around with the occasional sound of a branch snapping.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I thought I''d get to see fireballs, ice lances, hell maybe even nature magic given his skin color¡­¡± Glia complained, while her arms propped up her head on her legs.


    ¡°Maybe he''s trying to remember more of his spells¡­¡± Elaria insinuated, just trying to make sure she believed Leo''s story.


    Glia scoffed as she rose from her position of boredom. ¡°You really expected me to buy that?¡± She questioned critically, much to Elaria''s discomfort.


    Noticing her reaction, Glia sighed exhaustively and continued. ¡°Elaria look, I''ve gone through basic with you. I can tell when you''re trying to bullshit, you''ve done it enough times to the drill instructor that you give off a pretty desperate tell.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Really?!¡± She yelled out in surprise.


    Glia nodded while pointing to Elaria''s tail. ¡°Your tail does a slight tremble before and after, good way to tell where it starts and ends. You''re just lucky that the instructors never caught on, but your new friend definitely did.¡±


    Elaria''s eyes darted to her tail with slight betrayal. ¡®Well that''s something I need to address¡­¡¯ She mentally noted as she frowned.


    The obsidian scaled selarin slouched back against the wall, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at her. ¡°So who is he? The escaped slave story is pretty fuckin weak considering he''s a mage. Putting a mage in a slave collar is just asking to get yourself killed, and I cant imagine anyone stupid enough to teach a slave magic.¡± She asked and stated incredulously.


    Elaria paused a moment before answering, running a hand over her tail while she came up with a response. ¡°You''re right...¡± She sighed. ¡°But I can''t tell you. For one, it''s not my secret to tell, and two, you really don''t wanna know. Trust me Glia.¡±


    A slightly worried expression crossed her friend''s face, before she relented and gave her a knowing look. ¡°Fine, I''ll drop it for now. But you''ve gotta tell me, what''s he like in bed?¡± She pressed further while smirking at her legs.


    ¡°Glia¡­¡± Elaria said disapprovingly.


    ¡°Oh fuck off with the prudish act. You and I both know how your mind works, especially after we got turned down by those dwarves during our first week stationed here. You''ve been pretty much oozing I need a fuck energy since then, not to mention the bitching you did under your breath. I mean serio-¡± Glia stopped her rant and swung a finger in Leo''s direction.


    ¡°Holy shit, that''s a high jump, he could clear the wall with that one!¡± Glia yelled out with an arched brow and an entertained smile.


    ¡°Wow... I wonder what kind of spell that was, it didn''t even seem to hurt when he landed.¡± Elaria wondered in amazement.


    Glia leaned back on the wall, while her previous disappointment in Leo had completely vanished. ¡°It looks like this won''t continue to be a complete bore. So Elaria, spill.¡± She ordered with her attention somewhat more focused on the mage across the field, and with a resigned sigh, Elaria told Glia the details of her bedtime activities.


    When Elaria finished, Glia''s blue eyes were wide, but then quickly narrowed at Elaria''s tail. ¡°Did you manage to get that under control, because that story seemed like a massive pile of bull shit.¡± She challenged, but there was a curious hope in her eyes.


    Elaria shrugged while wearing a smug expression, and noted that she felt a little stimulated from sharing her experience. ¡°All of it was true, and you''ll see once your shift is over. The rumor about it should have reached every corner of town by now.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Say Elaria¡­¡± Glia started in a sweet tone.


    Elaria sighed, knowing exactly what Glia was going to ask. ¡°No I don''t have a problem if you want to sleep with him, and yes you can go and try for it. It''s his decision though.¡±


    Glia let out a halfhearted laugh while scratching at the scales on her hand. ¡°Sorry, had to ask after the slight aggression when you passed by last time.¡±


    Remembering what she said, Elaria grimaced. ¡°Yeah, I apologize for that. The stress of that day was really getting to me, and like you said, I really did need a fuck.¡±


    Glia chuckled before looking back in Leo''s direction. ¡°No worries, I just hope he performs as we-HE''S AN ARCH MAGE?!¡± She screamed out in complete shock.


    Elaria rapidly looked over to where Leo was supposed to be, but he was gone. She turned back to her friend, who was slack jawed with their head aimed to the sky. She traced her gaze until she saw him using one of the staple spells cast by arch mage''s, and she could only mouth two words in disbelief.


    ¡°Flight magic¡­¡±


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 Chapter 12

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo''s first attempt at flight was to simply cast the levitate spell on himself, but for the first time since using magic he felt that his mana was rapidly draining. He figured that he was essentially using mana to directly lift himself, which was the equivalent to benching his own weight against gravity.


    The usually creative man started to come up with an idea for a work around, because using levitation would cause him to run out of mana within about a minute. Thinking of a few solutions, he came to the conclusion of experimenting with gravity. He recalled a few news articles about recent tests conducted to prove the existence of gravitational waves.


    So instead of trying to direct his spell to work against gravity, he simply used it on gravity. He set up his first spell to bend the waves to push him upwards and then ease himself back, with only the area around him being affected. He put only a small amount of push into the spell, intending to go up only an inch. His assumption that it was only a tiny amount of push was horribly wrong, as he shot up over three stories before falling back down, slowing like a pendulum.


    That mishap prompted an appropriate, ¡°Oh shit!¡±, as he realized that he didn''t have an accurate visual measurement for gravity. He could have flung himself into space if he tried to actually fly on his first attempt, and he thanked whatever god was watching him for not letting that happen. The spell also seemed to use almost nothing in terms of mana, which raised a red flag at the edge of his mind, but he decided to file that thought away for later.


    From attempting what felt like an inch of push, he now had a measurement to work off of for his next attempt. This time when he initiated the spell, he laid the mana on top instead of pushing it right away. As he felt the spells cast go through, he ever so slightly applied force. When he started to lift a few inches off the ground he shifted the weight of said force around, and then he started moving around like he was being controlled by a joystick on ice.


    His inner game dev instantly rejected the movement of the spell with a borderline scowl. ¡°Ew, it doesn''t feel fluid enough and the motion feels wonky. Going to have to re-visualize it.¡± He thought aloud while releasing the spell to recast it differently.


    His next cast fixed the gravity around him, so he could still feel like his body was rooted toward something. Then he layered the previous one on top, with one alteration, setting the directional controls to around his chest and shoulders. He started to shift his weight around, feeling his mana push and pull the gravity in response, causing him to move.


    Leo smiled, satisfied with the new movement system as he floated half a foot off the ground. If he had to be honest It felt as if he was moving around like a superhero, and it wasn''t entirely inaccurate now that he had magic powers.


    Looking up at the sky, he took in a deep breath. ¡°Up up and away¡­¡± He said hesitantly while pushing himself to go up.


    As the initial fear passed from being about fifteen to twenty stories high, he was left with an adrenaline high and started to fully let loose. He moved around effortlessly through the air, speeding up and down and all around. His laughter at experiencing one of his childhood fantasies flowed freely from him flying through the air like a genuine superhero.


    He was only zipping around for a few minutes when he heard shouting from below, it was Elaria.


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria was both overjoyed and utterly terrified as the crazy man soared through the air. Being able to cast flight magic definitely meant that he was on par with an arch mage, but flying around like that was the farthest thing from trying to remain inconspicuous. So she rushed out onto the field and started shouting for him to ground himself.


    When he flew down to them he simply said. ¡°What''s up? Well besides me.¡± He chuckled, and she could not suppress her eye twitching at his words.


    ¡°Uhhh, what did I do¡­?¡± He questioned hesitantly, seeming to notice her shocked irritation.


    ¡°Flight magic is what arch mages use.¡± Elaria stated bluntly.


    ¡°That''s¡­ Great then. Righ- Oh wait, no, no it''s not¡­ And what is she doing?¡± He asked while pointing to her left.


    She turned to see her friend in a deep bow, and was holding it like her life depended on it. This prompted her to let out an exasperated breath, because now she had to help deal with that.


    ¡°Leo, arch mages are border line royalty. Every kingdom has at least one serving and living with them in their royal courts. So that''s why she''s like this, and why you shouldn''t start flying around town.¡± She explained exhaustedly.


    The awkward and rightly confused woman stood up straight and turned to address her. ¡°Wait, er um. Elaria? What the fuck is actually going on? Oh um sorry for the language, sir.¡±


    He looked extremely uncomfortable, now knowing how much he screwed up. ¡°So my cover in regards to her is even more fucked than the healer. Great¡­¡±


    Elaria tried to think of a way out of this mess, but couldn''t come up with a story that wouldn''t make the situation worse further down the line. Glia could also tell when she was bullshitting, so there wasn''t much of a point in trying.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Unable to come up with another solution, she turned to him. ¡°Well, If you want you can tell her the truth. She''s my best friend, so I can vouch for her, and the truth might be heavy enough for her to keep her mouth shut regardless.¡±


    ¡°Wait? What, tell me what?¡± Glia asked as her head darted between them, while her expression was that of abject confusion.


    With a bit of a groan, he went on to explain the events of the last week.


    Glia was frozen by the end of it, still trying to process everything he told her, and spent about a minute organizing her thoughts before speaking. ¡°So you''re not royalty, and you have never had any connection to this world or its people?¡± She inquired a little optimistically, and received a nod with a simple yup.


    The previously on edge selarin let out a breath she seemed to be holding in, her body visually relaxing immensely. ¡°Oh thank the gods¡­ So with that cleared up I wanted to ask, do you wanna fuck?¡±


    The otherworlder looked like he went through several expressions trying to properly process her words and come up with a response, much to Elaria''s amusement, who proceeded to burst out laughing.


    ¡°I''m sorry I think I''m missing a very important piece of information, how does that question even cross your mind?¡± He questioned the very blunt selarin, while appearing utterly baffled.


    Glia smirked, her expression a little elated at the fact that he didn''t say no. ¡°Despite being an arch mage, you don''t have any of the scary political power of nobles, aristocrats, or royals. In fact, it seems like it''s in your best interest to avoid them altogether. So you''re just another guy, one that I really want to fuck.¡± She explained with even more casual bluntness.


    He still did not seem to know how to respond, looking to Elaria before asking. ¡°You seem oddly okay with her asking this, is having multiple partners really so normal?¡±


    Confused for only a moment, she remembered that he said humans have a one to one ratio. Recalling that races like the dwarves and elves committed to fewer partners, humans could commit to a single mate.


    ¡°Remember, ten to one. If we weren''t so open about it then we would have died off a long time ago. Though we can sometimes be¡­territorial...When it comes to holding our positions. But yeah, go for it. I''ll even join in if you want~¡± She explained while punctuating the end with a sultry tone.


    Leo flushed at the offer, but looked like he finally found his confidence before responding. ¡°Well Glia, I guess we''ll see you after your shift then?¡±


    Glia looked a little disappointed before speaking. ¡°Actually I''ll get rotated into patrol duty in the market for the rest of the day, and I have the same schedule tomorrow. The day after though¡­?¡± She walked up to him, seductively swaying her hips as she did so before leaning in to whisper into his ear.


    His new found confidence vanished, brow raised as the black scaled selarin backed away when she was done. ¡°I uh, yes, that... Uh. we, I mean she. Us and you can.¡± He stammered incoherently as she continued to give him a coy look.


    Elaria arched her brow. ¡°Just what did you tell him?¡±


    Glia turned to Elaria with a smirk. ¡°Oh just a few uses for my tail, and yours¡­¡± She answered in a sultry tone, while Elaria broke eye contact with her and lightened a shade as she remembered some of the more intimate memories with her experienced friend.


    A low rumble from Leo''s stomach interrupted the conversation, and prompted him to ask. ¡°Um Elaria, I feel a little starved, could we head back to the inn to eat?¡±


    ¡°Sure we can, we missed lunch though.¡± She answered but turned to Glia giving her a cautious look.


    Glia noticed her concerned expression. ¡°Don''t worry about me saying anything, If I did, then I would be pulled into one big fucking mess of trouble. That and it messes up our upcoming engagement, and maybe a few more to come after...¡± She reassured her before they all exchanged farewells.


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    The newly minted arch mage was deep in thought as he and Elaria made their way to the inn for a bite to eat. His new ability to fly was hard to resist using, but then people would look at him like he was actually superman. He also didn''t want to accidently cast something that would out him to anyone else, like he did with Glia and the healer, so he asked Elaria what other spells arch mages were known for using.


    She furrowed her brow as they both turned another street corner. ¡°The ones that I can remember are teleport, controlling the weather, mind reading, and terra magic.¡±


    He cocked his head, not entirely familiar with the last one. ¡°Terra magic?¡± He questioned curiously.


    ¡°Basically it''s just earth magic, but you''re able to literally move mountains.¡± She explained with a shrug.


    ¡°Wow, that seems a bit¡­excessive.¡± He stated to no one in particular.


    The criticism of terra magic seemed to bring his thoughts back to the fact that he himself actually manipulated gravity, which halted all other thoughts as the red flag he put away previously came screaming back to the forefront of his mind.


    ¡®Wait a minute, I can actually control gravity. The thing that can manipulate space and time, and I did it with almost no cost to my mana¡­WHAT THE FUCK?!¡¯ The full implication of what he did slammed into him like a freight train.


    Thoughts of what he could do with that kind of power raced through his mind. Creating black holes, faster than light space travel, time travel, and probably even wormholes. His knees seemed to almost buckle from the weight of what he could do now, and Elaria moved quickly to support him.


    ¡°Leo, what''s wrong?¡± She asked him with concern written across her face.


    ¡°Oh you know. Just coming to terms with maybe being the most powerful thing on the planet¡­¡±


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 Chapter 13

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    Leo


    In a single day, Leo went from feeling vulnerable because he was sexually assaulted at the market, to gaining a power that could destroy the world, and the two extremes had left him a little exhausted mentally. So yeah, he was pretty much done with today, and wanted nothing more than to have a meal at the inn and pass out in their room, maybe have a bit of stress relief in-between.


    Elaria finally spoke up after he calmed down. ¡°What do you mean you''re the most powerful thing on the planet? No offence, but flight magic hardly makes you capable of killing a dragon.¡± She challenged critically.


    It was difficult to hold down a scoff, since what he could do was way more than just kill a dragon. ¡®Yeah, a few hundred G''s would beg to differ.¡¯


    He finally put some strength back into his legs to walk on them properly, but still felt like a massive weight was placed on his shoulders. ¡°It''s not the spell itself, but how I went about casting it. Do you understand the concept of gravity, or even what that word is?¡±


    She shook her head in response.


    A sigh escaped his lips, knowing that this was going to be quite the explanation. ¡°That figures. Remember when I said that my world has no magic, because of that we had to study the world around us and use physical solutions to solve our problems. We thought up what principles governed reality itself, creating structured definitions and names for the things that make up, well, existence. One of the things that we named and defined is gravity. To better help you understand, it''s essentially what keeps you on the ground, or the thing that makes objects fall in general. My flight spell basically controls it to make it work, and now that I know that I can control it, I should be capable of doing some pretty amazing and outright terrifying things with it.¡± He explained to the blank faced selarin, whose expression warped into confusion as the information visibly sunk in.


    ¡°By making something float?¡± She asked a bit befuddled, much to his dismay, because he would have to explain in even more detail.


    He tried to find the words to properly explain what gravity is, but found that it would devolve into so many other concepts. What is a force? What is mass? Why do large objects have more gravity? What do you mean weight is only defined by it? What is space? How can something affect time? So instead of going down that rabbit hole, he took out his little booklet on magic and told her to hold out her hand, opting for a display.


    Placing the booklet on her open palm, he cast a spell to alter the gravity. ¡°This is what happens when I decrease the gravity.¡± He told her while making the booklet feel like it weighed less than a feather.


    ¡°This is suppose to harm a dragon?¡± She asked incredulously with a raised eyebrow, which contrasted to her head tilting in slight fascination.


    The human smirked at his clueless companion. ¡°And this is what happens when I increase the gravity.¡± He told her while slowly increasing its gravity until she had to support it with both hands.


    The selarin''s eyes went wide as she tried to comprehend what was happening, all the while the booklet was being crushed and formed completely to her hand. ¡°Exactly how heavy can you make something?¡±


    ¡°I''m technically not making it heavier, since I''m not affecting what it''s made out of. But this literally costs me nothing in terms of mana, so I can probably flatten anything into paste.¡± He answered while releasing the spell on the booklet.


    ¡°Even a dragon?¡± Elaria gulped as she handed him back the booklet, now coming to understand only a fraction of the power he held.


    He grimaced as he put the, now useless, magical guide away. ¡°If that scares you, then I''m afraid you''re thinking too small...¡±


    Elaria went utterly quiet for a few long moments, forcing him to shake the shocked woman out of her daze. ¡°Wait so, can''t other arch mages do what you can then? I mean since they can cast flight magic.¡± She immediately questioned.


    Leo shook his head, his loosely fit scarf shifting as he did so. ¡°I don''t think so, since the principles I work with are probably ages ahead of anything taught on this world. I believe their level of knowledge and understanding is similar to what we call a philosopher on my world, a profession that all but died off in terms of actual physical discovery. They''ll be able to understand that something is forcing them to the ground and will even put a name to it, but visualizing an approximate image to what it looks like much less how it actually functions would be beyond them.¡±


    Her eyes became distant again, but he gave his cool scaled beauty a shake before she got too lost in thought. ¡°Oh¡­ Well with that kind of power, there shouldn''t be anything to fear from the dragons then.¡± She said while perking up a bit.


    ¡°Ehh, wouldn''t say that. For all my knowledge of the physical world, I know fuck all about magic. The concept of a soul isn''t even a proven thing on my world, so they could just rip it out of me on sight for all I know. And don''t even get me started on the bullshit that is mana, being able to conjure things out of thin air based solely on how much you know.¡± He finished with a mild irritation while continuing in his mind.


    ¡®Because fuck thermodynamics, right?¡¯


    ________________________________________________You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Elaria


    For the first time Elaria understood why the knowledge of a summon could start a new era, If Leo''s exploits into magic are anything to go by. The man just explained that he had gained the power to crush a dragon with little effort, figuring out how to do it from just combining his non-magical understanding of the world with magic. She would have been terrified of him if he didn''t blush like a tomato every time he was teased. It was also comforting that he pretty much went weak-kneed when he found out what he was capable of, almost seeming a bit terrified.


    Most people would probably be thinking of taking control of a kingdom or even the world with that kind of power, she certainly knew a few relatives who would love to, but he seemed to be afraid of it. She recalled that every time he learned how the selarin rulers used their power, he reacted in anger and disgust. And she didn''t know if it was because he was so compassionate or if it was a human thing, but he definitely viewed how to use power differently.


    ¡®Maybe his world has more ¡®just¡¯ kingdoms, or was he actually royalty? It would explain how he''s so educated, and why he got angry with how other rulers treat subjects. Wait, he said his job was to play god, maybe he just has more compassion for things in general. That still doesn''t mean he''s not royal though¡­ I''ll have to ask him when we get to the inn, I don''t think I could take that kind of information standing if he is, because that would mean I just fucked a prince.¡¯ She thought while a little transfixed by the idea.


    The thought of her bonding with royalty from another world was definitely a mesmerizing one, it was something straight out of a story book, and she blushed at the idea.


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    As Leo and Elaria entered the inn, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up for the first time in his life. He had read and heard of the reaction happening to people right before they found themselves in deep shit, but this was a first for him, as staring at a computer screen for a living doesn''t scream hazardous job.


    His gut sank, and his head fixated itself on the bar Kesl manned while his eyes darted around the dining area. There were the usual lustful gazes, but he knew someone here was looking at him differently, someone who felt like they were gazing through him rather than at him.


    Elaria seemed to notice as they walked toward Kesl. ¡°Leo, is something wrong?¡±


    He was about to respond when a voice spoke up from behind. ¡°Yes Leo, Is something bothering you?¡± A slightly familiar voice interrupted, the tone saturated in mockery.


    They both turned to regard the unknown person and froze at who they saw. It was the healer, Allis.


    He originally didn''t pay much attention to her looks when they first met, as he was livid by how healers priced gouged for essentially an effortless service. But now that he was up close, and fairly terrified, he had the time to properly give her a once over.


    The serpentine reminded him of the viper''s from xcom2, with a few major differences. She had sandy colored scales that capped over the top of her head, and stretched down the entire back half of her body. Her light brown eyes were a lot wider, mouth didn''t look like it could unhinge, facial structure was way more smooth, and had a hood that was a bit higher up than that of a cobra.


    The diameter of her tail past the hips was about more or less a foot which made it look like her upper half would tip over at any moment, but when you consider that it''s almost pure muscle then any thicker would probably be excessive.


    The connection between her lower and upper half accentuated her hips, which were very slender. Her tail was also very long, around fifteen feet and tapering off at about ten. He would say that she was a foot taller than himself, but her tail seemed to push her up a fair bit, so from hip to head she would be more or less the same height as himself.


    She wore a jacket and one piece dress uniform that made her vaguely look like they were attending a high-class private school. It was a wide sleeved gray cut dress that clung loosely to her body, and stopped where one would assume the knees to be. It was slightly ornate, and had a few patches on the shoulders that either denoted her status or academy association.


    He felt Elaria tighten around his arm, and after giving her a quick glance, he saw that she looked like she wanted to run straight to their room, but they both knew that it would be pointless because she would just wait them out. His thoughts raced, trying to piece together a backstory to cover his ass, since he was completely unprepared to deal with the snake woman.


    ¡°Oh, hello Allis. I''m fine, what brings you here?¡± He asked with a forced smile and a bit of strain to his voice.


    Allis furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes, making her stare slightly more predatory than he was currently comfortable with. ¡°Well after you both ran out of my clinic, rudely ignoring my pleas while I gave chase, I went around town trying to find you.¡± She answered with a mild irritation.


    Keeping a welcoming tone, he went on to ask. ¡°And why is that, I mean I''m just a mage. We''re a diamond dozen, right.¡±


    Allis''s eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°A what? ¡­¡±


    ¡®Fuck, might not have translated well¡­¡¯ He thought before responding. ¡°Um it''s just a saying where I''m from, more or less means I''m no more unique than the next one, but still quite valuable.¡±


    Allis formed a devilish smile at his explanation. ¡°I wouldn''t say that, you appeared to learn healing magic almost instantly.¡±


    ¡®Fuck.¡¯ - ¡°My father was a medic, I know a lot about.. Stuff...¡± He trailed off as his mind blanked on how to finish the sentence.


    Leaning closer to them both she continued. ¡°And you can cast without words to initiate.¡± She stated knowingly, while her light brown eyes seemed to pierce further into him.


    ¡®Fuck.¡¯ - ¡°Oh? You probably just didn''t hear me...¡± He disputed.


    She leaned in even closer. ¡°As well as having the stamina of a dragon.¡±


    ¡®Fuck.¡¯ - ¡°Pff, rumors¡­¡± He deflected.


    Allis leaned in so close that only Leo and Elaria could hear her next words. ¡°And you''re a summon at that.¡±


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ He relented.


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 14

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    Leo


    This was far from the ideal position that the unfortunate human had once again found himself in, his thoughts racing on how to handle the situation.


    ¡®I could run away, but like hell if I''d abandon Elaria. Bringing her would mean we would be on the run for god knows how long, and I don''t want that kind of life. I could flatten Allis like a pancake- Okay, no, my brain needs to take a step back, because that''s a horrible idea for two reasons. One, morality. And two, this is not a cartoon. It will be fucking messy and brutal, and I don''t fancy traumatizing myself nor Elaria¡­ I could als-Wait, she didn''t immediately turn me in, which means¡­¡¯


    His expression dropped at the realization while any previous panic vanished. ¡°Alright, the fuck do you want.¡± He asked irritably while gritting his teeth, because blackmail was one of those things he really hated being on the opposite end of, especially when it concerned his life.


    Elaria was taken aback, but Allis smiled at his response. ¡°I do like a man who''s direct, but I think we should have this discussion away from prying eyes. I believe you have a room here?¡± She inquired and he led the way, all the while he went through his own mental library of D-grade villains and manipulative assholes.


    ¡®Has high social status with plenty of money, yet needs something that she can''t manage to get or do on her own. Probably relating to another person of higher or equivalent status, so that leaves what she wants of me to fall into Slay, Steal or Suffer. She wants someone dead, something stolen, or someone to suffer. I could probably work out a deal, but I am not bloodying my own hands.¡¯


    When the three of them arrived at the room he stopped at the door and eyed it distrustfully. He then cast a spell to muffle and distort the sound waves that came out of the room for the next few hours. ¡®Like hell if I''m going to have any more rumors spreading around.¡¯ He thought bitterly as he passed through the door.


    Walking into the room Elaria was sitting on the far side of the bed, trying to be as far from Allis as possible while still wanting to be comfortable. Allis was sitting at the bedside table, the second chair seemingly gone.


    ¡®Huh, guess they took it, maybe for the lunch rush? I''m not gonna sit on the bed close to Allis, and as much as I want to comfort Elaria on her side, I don''t want to appear weak in front of Allis by sitting so far away. so I''ll just stand, maybe it''ll even be seen as a power move¡­¡¯ He mentally mused as he just stood a little dumbly in the center of the room.


    Allis cocked her head with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You''re not going to have a seat?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine right here, so get to the point.¡± He said with an edge while crossing his arms, fully aware of how clich¨¦ the move was.


    The serpentine woman leaned back on the chair, her lower body more laying in it than actually sitting. ¡°Well, I know who you are and what the dragons might do if they find you. So to that end I would like your cooperation in dealing with someone from my past, for keeping your little secret.¡±


    ¡®Okay, slay or suffer.¡¯ He deduced and slightly cursed to himself for it not being as simple as steal.


    ¡°So you just want someone killed?¡± He probed, not at all okay with being party to murder, but was still curious about her story.


    Allis''s face grew dark. ¡°Not just...¡± She said maliciously.


    ¡®Three things and you had to have picked the worst one.¡¯ The thought frustrated him, since it could end up being a very dark and very long process. ¡®Luckily I hold all the power even if she didn''t know it yet¡­¡¯


    Still, he was curious to see where this would go, and was open to helping if her reasons and methods were acceptable. ¡°Okay, as long as you keep your word, and you''re the one who gets their hands dirty, I have no problems.¡±


    The healer snorted, her expression smug. ¡°You don''t need to trust my word, I''ll draw up a spell bound contract so we''ll be forced to comply.¡± She remarked a little condescendingly, but was apparently amused by his ignorance.


    It took a bit of effort to bite back a retort, so he raised an eyebrow at the last part instead, as it definitely uneased him a bit. ¡°Forced to? Well that doesn''t sound sketchy at all.¡± He remarked sarcastically.Stolen story; please report.


    The galling selain scoffed. ¡°The contract link''s to the intent of those who initially sign, If the intent of both parties are not aligned then the contract burns up immediately.¡± She reassured him like she was talking to an idiot.


    Her attitude made him frown, but if she was a noble or something, then this was to be expected. ¡°What happens when you don''t comply after signing?¡± He questioned skeptically.


    ¡°A massive headache and whatever punishments were agreed to in the contract. Then the contract burns up.¡± She answered simply.


    ¡°Ah, the being forced part then? So could the contract be terminated if both parties agreed to?¡± He asked and Allis nodded, glad that she could go ten seconds without being petulant.


    Leo furrowed his brow, still not wanting to be completely taken advantage of. ¡°Alright, but I''m not just gonna bend over and take being blackmailed. I want something out of it.¡±


    The mage sneered like she was being made light of. ¡°You think you''re in a position to demand anything? Even if you''re a summon, you''re still just learning magic. You''re as much a threat to me as I am to a dragon, and that''s the least of your worries. One message to the capital and every kingdom will be hunting you down for the dragons.¡±


    ¡®Ah fuck, didn''t consider a world wide man hunt.¡¯ He thought a little wide eyed.


    The overconfident serpentine smirked at his reaction. ¡°Now that''s out of the way, let''s talk about what you can do for me. Your sleeve can wait outside.¡± She finished while waving a dismissive hand at Elaria.


    His face scrunched up in confusion. ¡®Sleeve? Why did... Wait did she just call¡­¡¯ His expression dropped into outrage. ¡®Okay! There is only so much bitchery that I can tolerate, and she just crossed that threshold.¡¯


    He floated a foot off the ground and gestured his hand toward the table next to Allis, and it was crushed a second later using his gravity magic. She flinched and froze while her panicked eyes darted between him and the shattered remains of the wooden furniture.


    Leo pursed his lips and gave her a disapproving look, as if a child broke the one rule they were told not to. ¡°Now you seem to be missing a few key bits of information, so allow me to politely fill you in on how utterly fucking wrong you are.¡± He ended with a crooked smile.


    Raising up a clenched fist, he extended a finger. ¡°One, I am not only more than capable of killing a dragon, I can do it with almost no effort. Seriously, how easy it would be for me to do so, and how small a scale doing so is compared to what I am actually capable of, genuinely terrifies me.¡± He remarked as he crossed his legs mid air to show off his comfort with the flight spell.


    Extending another finger, he continued. ¡°Two, because I can do so, doesn''t mean I want to. I have a pretty solid moral code, and written near the top of it is to not kill people just because I can. Not only do I believe that its fucked up and down right monstrous, but I know doing so will fuck with my compassion for life. Which I might point out, is the only reason you aren''t that table right now.¡± He finished the point by gesturing to the shattered remains on the floor.


    He extended his third finger after shifting to lay on his side, one hand supporting his head as the ends of his scarf slacked downward. ¡°Three, the only reason I am afraid of the dragons finding me is because I know almost fuck all about them and magic. So I would prefer to not get into a fight with something that has the ability to rip my soul out and put it into an oversized snow globe, without at least knowing how they do it.¡±


    Floating back a bit, he shifted back up right and extended his arms wide. ¡°Four! My knowledge of the physical world is so far ahead of anything that could be taught on this one, that for me to teach you I literally have to have explanations for my explanations with more explanations of concepts that probably don''t even exist in any book on this world. And if you understood any of that, then it should go to explain how I learned to fly In less than ten minutes, and learned healing magic by just asking a question.¡±


    With a wide but hostile smile, he arrived at his last point. ¡°Five... Call her a sleeve again, and you probably will end up as that table.¡± He declared with a facetious overtone while he released his flight spell.


    ¡®I hope my little theatrics knocked her down a peg.¡¯ Leo thought with a self satisfied expression.


    Silence hung in the air as she simply stared at him while as still as a statue, but after a few tense and silent moments tears started to form on her face.


    He arched a brow, not at all expecting that kind of reaction from what he thought was a total scumbag. ¡®Uhh... Did I go too far and fuck up?¡¯ He thought a bit self-critically.


    Not long after the tears, she fell to her hands sobbing, while pleading frantically for him to help her.


    ¡®¡­?¡¯


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 15

    ________________________________________________


    Allis


    -THIRTEEN YEARS AGO-


    ¡°Daddy! Daddy! Me and Vipa found some Achor roots!¡± Allis yelled excitedly as she waved around a thick dirt covered root.


    Her father chuckled and gave the two small selarin''s a warm smile before speaking. ¡°Now Allis, Vipa, you know you''re not supposed to go out into the forest with those clothes, and you also brought a trail of dirt into the house. What would your mothers say if they saw you.¡± He said while raising a disapproving eyebrow.


    The two selarin children looked at each other, then down at themselves, noticing all of the dirt patches.


    Allis''s hood slumped. ¡°But we wanted to find where the root grows after you told us what it''s used for.¡± She complained sullenly.


    ¡°And how are we supposed to learn about medicine if we don''t look for the plants?¡± Vipa huffed as she crossed her arms.


    Their father leaned over to pat both of their heads with a warm smile. ¡°There''s no need to rush things, you two. like healing, learning all the important things takes time.¡±


    ¡°Vipa Venara and Allis Sphara!¡± Three voices called in unison with a commanding tone from down stairs.


    Their father chuckled at the two, who both winced at being called. ¡°Tell you what, after you both get another lesson in cleanliness, I''ll teach you both how to mix that root into a healing salve.¡± He told the two while leaning back in his chair.


    Both girls perked up and rushed down stairs, making him fail to suppress his amusement at the two as he turned back to read over some patient requests.


    His eyes went wide at one of them. ¡°Good gods!¡±


    [ Fifty gold to anyone who can help heal Lady Taipa Oxyur, noble heir to the region. ]


    ________________________________________________


    -ELEVEN YEARS AGO-


    Allis walked in on Vipa who was staring at a booklet in her palm. ¡°Float! Levitate! Hover! Up! Ugh!¡± Vipa cried out in frustration.


    Allis smirked at the sight. ¡°Did you really spend a copper on that crap?¡± She asked in amusement.


    ¡°If I didn''t, then I wouldn''t have known that I have, and can sense, mana.¡± Vipa said with a smug expression.


    Allis gawked. ¡°No way! You''re a mage!¡± She shouted with excitement, her hood perking up with joy for her sister''s luck.


    Vipa''s confidence faltered, her own hood slumping a bit at her sister''s excitement. ¡°I don''t seem to be able to manipulate it though, I''ll need a wand or staff as a focus. And the cost of those things are insane, it would be easier slaying a dragon than getting the coin for it. You wanna give it a shot?¡± She asked while waving the booklet around.


    ¡°I''m good, I''d rather not know than be disappointed for the rest of my life. Er, no offence.¡± Allis finished awkwardly.


    ¡°None taken, it sucks. By the way, how''s dad''s progress with Lady Taipa?¡± Vipa asked curiously.


    ¡°Great, he said that the treatment should finally be done by the end of next month. He''s also been acting a bit weird, I don''t know why but it seems like he''s nervous about something.¡± Allis explained, ending with a bit of concern.


    ¡°Have you asked him about it?¡± Vipa inquired worriedly.


    ¡°Yeah, but he brushes it off every time, it''s starting to worry me¡­ And I can''t help but feel like something''s very wrong¡­¡±


    ________________________________________________


    -NINE YEARS AGO-


    ¡°Oh you poor things, of course you can stay with us. I can''t begin to imagine what it''s like to lose your home and loved ones to such a horrible tragedy.¡± Lady Taipa remarked with her voice only slightly tinged with sympathy, which rubbed Allis the wrong way.


    Her father''s expression was that of a broken man, which wasn''t too far off from the two behind him. ¡°Thank you for your... Hospitality, my Lady. I-We... Have no choice but to ask for your¡­ Help, I hope it''s not too much trouble...¡± He asked, his tone void of emotion.


    Lady Taipa''s smile grew wide. ¡°Nonsense, there''s nothing I wouldn''t do for the man who saved my life. It just breaks my heart that none of your wives survived the raid, you''re fortunate you still have your daughters...¡± She said as her eyes narrowed at the pair of selarins behind him.


    Vipa flinched at her words, remembering the attack and the screams of her mother''s being tortured and played with, and Allis held her closer, trying to comfort her sister the best she could. Unfortunately, even though Allis wasn''t trembling like Vipa, she couldn''t hold back her own tears.


    Their father''s gaze shot to Lady Taipa. ¡°Yes, they are all I have left. It''s my job to prot- take care of them.¡±


    Lady Taipa frowned, her face bordering on a sneer. ¡°Yes.. that may be true, but they are pretty much grown adults. They will have to live on their own eventually, but it''s unfortunate that the world is still filled with such dangers.¡±


    His eyes shot wide. ¡°I¡­would be eternally in your debt If you could find a place for my daughters. They have nothing, and it will be some time before they can live without assistants.¡±


    Lady Taipa''s smile returned. ¡°I think we can come to an arrangement¡­¡±


    ________________________________________________


    -EIGHT YEARS AGO-


    ¡°Too sweet! You stupid girl!¡± Lady Taipa yelled as she threw her unfinished tea onto Vipa.


    ¡°I-I-I''m sorry my Lady. It wont ha-¡± Allis said pleadingly, but was cut off.


    ¡°Excuses! Your fathers out helping my distant relative, so I don''t have to hold myself back. Clean this mess up and keep this filth out of my sight.¡± The cruel noblewoman said in a huff, walking out of the dining room with a sneering disgust.


    After cleaning the area, Allis took her sister to their room, though it was less of a room and more of a large storage closet.


    Vipa broke down crying halfway in. ¡°I can''t do this anymore, Allis. I-I just-¡±


    Allis pulled Vipa into a close embrace, tightening it as her sister wept into her chest. ¡°Shhh, shhh. It''s okay... It''s okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did he have to marry her?! Why is she treating us like this?! Why can''t we just leave?! Allis I don''t think I can take much more¡­¡± Vipa cried heavily while her hands balled at Allis''s uniform.


    ¡°We just have to work for another year for our contract to end, and dad will be back in another week so it''ll be¡­easier.¡± Allis reassured her as she stroked a hand over the blue patterns on her gray scales.


    Vipa calmed down just a bit, but still continued to softly sob. ¡°But then he''ll just go back out again¡­ If only I could manipulate mana¡­¡±


    Allis couldn''t form a response, and only looked over at the small worn booklet on her sister''s cot, knowing that she''d been holding onto it like it would suddenly solve everything. Allis would never entertain the thought that she could be a mage, because it was more likely that she would have only two of the requirements, and she didn''t want to constantly wonder if her life would be different if she just had the coin to buy a supplement for the third.


    She felt Vipa start to cry again, pushing back into her chest. Her eyes narrowed at the book, a desperate feeling of hope rising within her.


    She knows what failing would feel like, but she would try for her sister.


    ________________________________________________


    -SEVEN YEARS AGO-


    ¡°What do you mean you''re not going to pay us?! Our contract is finished!¡± Allis growled in a simmering rage for the sadistic noblewoman.


    Lady Taipa rolled her eyes with an annoyed expression. ¡°If you bothered to read it, then you''d know that payment is predicated on the client''s satisfaction.¡± She paused with a provocative smile. ¡°And I am far from satisfied.¡± The conniving highborn finished smugly.


    Allis slithered toward Taipa with a violent intent. ¡°YOU B-¡± Her words were cut off, her father stepping between them while shooting her a glare to back down.


    Her father turned to the bitch with a submissive posture. ¡°I apologize for my- our, daughters outburst. May I speak with them in private so I can properly explain how things are supposed to work around here.¡± He finished with an obvious implication and a respectful bow, leaving Allis in a speechless shock.


    Lady Taipa smiled at him with delight. ¡°It''s comforting to see you finally come around. Find me once you''ve put your spawn in their place, and I may renew their contracts.¡±


    Allis felt betrayed at the way her father acted as she and Vipa were led back to their room. ¡°Dad, how could yo-¡± She was cut short after he checked the halls to make sure no one was spying on them.


    ¡°Here take this, it¡¯s a three golds worth split between the two of you. Take it, leave, and never come back.¡± Her father commanded as he handed Allis the small bag of coins.


    ¡°What, I don''t understand?¡± Vipa probed.


    Their fathers eyes looked almost desperate as they darted between his daughters. ¡°I-I can''t explain, just take it and leave. Start new lives, have a family, be happy.¡± He begged.


    ¡°Dad, we can''t just leave you!¡± Vipa yelled in defiance.


    ¡°Especially if we have to leave you with her!¡± Allis shouted with a hatred for the noble, to have pushed her family to such a state.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± Her father hissed, before turning to check outside the room.


    "I-you- just don''t-¡± He stammered.


    Seeing his daughter''s stubborn expressions, he relented, his body visibly relaxing as he spoke. ¡°You need to know the truth then¡­¡± He paused, while a dark shadow fell over his visage. ¡°The move that I set up for us to live in the capital three years ago wasn''t because of the payment I got. It was because of Lady Taipa herself.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Both sisters glanced at each other with confusion, as their father began to explain.


    ¡°During the time I was treating her, she became infatuated with me. I told her constantly that I wasn''t interested, but that didn''t stop her from¡­attempting things during the final week''s. I staved off as much as I could until I received payment, then I never went back.


    That didn''t stop her, she sent letter after letter, and gifts delivered by messengers. And the more I refused her requests, the more threatening they became. When I resolved to move us to the capital I went out in person to confront her, and tell her that I was leaving. She...did not take it well.


    She cursed your mother''s, calling them the most vial things. She also threatened that if I left, then¡­¡± He trailed off as he let the implication hang.


    ¡°Dad¡­ You can''t mean¡­¡± Vipa said, utter shock crossing her face.


    His features darkened further. ¡°She was the one who orchestrated the raid in the area, and gave orders to kill your mother''s¡±


    Allis could not believe her fathers story, because it would mean that she was serving her mother''s killer for nearly three years. ¡°That''s insane, over a dozen houses burned down and so many people were killed. How do you even know it was her.¡± She challenged, her stomach curling into sickening knots at the information.


    He grimaced. ¡°Because when I was caught trying to help your mothers, one of the raiders delivered a message from her. Come back to me, or your daughters are next.¡±


    Utter silence followed his words, as the two sisters absorbed the truth of what happened. Allis was the first to break down, and was awash with tears for the first time since arriving at Lady Taipa''s estate.


    Tears started down Vipa''s face, but a steely expression held all the sadness back, and seemed to be turning it into pure rage.


    ¡°It''s - It''s all my fault. All of it! I should have sent you away before you signed those damn contracts. Now she''s trying to hold your lives over me. Damn it! If I never took that stupid request! No amount of money was worth losing what we did, worth the suffering she put you through¡­¡± Their father brought them both into a close embrace as he started to break down at seeing his daughter''s reactions.


    ¡°You need to go, before she tries to keep you here.¡± He said desperately before pulling away to take in the sight of his daughters for what might be the last time.


    ¡°But we ca-¡± Allis started, but was cut off.


    ¡°Don''t worry about me, as soon as I know you two are safe, I''ll figure out a way to leave her¡­and make sure she has no reason to chase you¡­¡± He said in a hard tone


    After they shared a heartfelt goodbye, the sisters left their father behind, and set out for the next region to be out of Lady Taipa''s influence. The trip was uneventful and mostly carried out in silence, until they finally stopped at an inn out of the noble''s region.


    Allis slumped on the bed, as she wore an emotionless expression. ¡°So what now?¡± She asked her sister with a sorrowful tone.


    Vipa sat in a chair across from her, and even though her face was a little placid, there were hints of a restrained rage that was just underneath the surface. ¡°Well, you should head to the academy.¡± She told her, but it almost sounded like a command.


    Allis winced at the idea, feeling too mentally exhausted to consider jumping into a nest of nobles. ¡°I know it was my plan after the contracts ended, but after hearing the truth¡­¡± She trailed off as she looked over at her sister, who seemed different.


    Vipa''s voice hardened. ¡°Allis, it''s because of that you need to go. Do you really think after learning all that, that Taipa''s just going to let him go? The academy basically gives noble status to anyone who graduates no matter where they originated. A mage that''s graduated from the academy could have enough authority to get dad out of that situation.¡± She explained with a determination to her words.


    Allis took a moment to respond, surprised at Vipa''s sudden shift in personality. ¡°But, what about you?¡± Her sister had been emotionally damaged ever since being forced to watch their mother''s being tortured to death.


    ¡°I''ll join the army, it can''t be any worse than working for Taipa. And, if I climb the ranks high enough I can go after her...¡± Vipa explained as anger and contempt radiated off her.


    ¡°Vipa! She''s a noble! Even if you somehow become a general you won''t be seen as having the authority to do anything to a noble!¡± Allis protested, but flinched back at the dark glare that was shot at her.


    Vipa looked at her sister, a fire of anger and determination in her eyes. ¡°Allis, she''s the reason for everything that''s happened to us. I''m gonna do it regardless if it''s impossible, I just wanna make sure dad is safe before then. So?¡±


    In that moment Allis felt her gut sink further than any time before. ¡®Was it because of her plan or something else?¡¯ She thought.


    ¡°All right. I''ll do it.¡±


    ________________________________________________


    -FOUR YEARS AGO-


    Allis had now spent three years at the academy, and she hated every moment of it, as the classes with any true blood nobles berated everyone else. And even though She enjoyed the courses on magic and natural world studies, especially those on healing, the other classes she was forced to attend felt¡­wrong.


    They were essentially on how to behave like a noble, and all of them were required to graduate from the academy. It seemed like fun at first, but she caught herself acting terribly to people out in public. Which was kind of the point, but it felt like she was changing into Taipa, which sickened her.


    She was studying in the academy''s library when the head master walked in and told her that a colonel was here to speak with her. Initially baffled as to why someone from the army was there to see her, she soon connected the dots. When she realized who it could be, she went from a leisurely pace to speeding down the halls to one of the private rooms.


    ¡°Vipa!¡± Allis shouted excitedly, moving to hug her sister.


    ¡°Allis, it''s good to see you again.¡± Vipa said, returning the embrace.


    ¡°It''s been so long, and you''ve changed so much. You''re so...¡± Allis said, pulling away from the hug to regard her sister.


    ¡°Muscled?¡± Vippa said with a smirk.


    Allis shook her head with a chuckle. ¡°And a colonel apparently. The hell Vipa, I never thought you''d even make it as an officer.¡±


    Vipa glanced away with a guilty look. ¡°I may have exploited a few loopholes, among other things, but I''ll save those stories for another time. You might want to have a seat...¡± She finished while her face shifted to a grim expression.


    ¡°Vipa? What''s wrong?¡± Allis asked while taking a seat.


    Her sister broke eye contact before answering. ¡°Soon after I made Colonel, I went back to Taipa''s estate and¡­ It''s- about dad... He''s dead¡±


    The shock of her words hit Allis so hard that some of her body went slack. ¡°But¡­ I only had a year left¡­¡± She said as tears started to form in her eyes.


    ¡°It wouldn''t have mattered¡­¡± Vipa remarked with a cold and emotional detachment.


    Allis''s emotions swung around to anger at hearing that. ¡°Wouldn''t have mattered?! It was your fucking IDEA?! Do you know how much I''ve worked for this, not to mention the harassment from actual nobles, and you say it wouldn-¡± She was cut off.


    ¡°He killed himself the day we left!¡± Vipa yelled, tears already streaming down her face.


    Allis slid out of her seat and dropped to her hands, her body unable to support herself from the emotional mountain that was dropped on her.


    ¡°We didn''t even have the chance¡­¡±


    ________________________________________________


    -YESTERDAY-


    Allis got out of bed like every other morning since graduating from the academy, hollow. She went through the motions for getting ready for the day, had a shower, got dressed, and went to her clinic to heal the stupid. When she got to her clinic, it was just more going through the motions. Un-dust with magic, take inventory, and wait behind the counter.


    Since the prep for the war started, she''s had the excuse to not heal as many people by rationing. She was told by the local lord to do so, but the fewer people she interacted with, the better the day seemed. But as irritating as it was to deal with people, every time she had a day alone she was just left to her thoughts. The what ifs that always seemed to plague her mind, no matter how much time had passed.


    It was about noon when two people came into her clinic, a selarin and- ¡®A what?¡¯ She thought.


    After greeting them with a forced welcoming cadence, she explained the usual story she gave every person that walked in.


    The strange man then had the gall to ask about healing magic, from how he dressed you''d think he''d have heard of the prices. Then after asking about a few parts that make up the body he acted like he could learn healing magic on the spot. The notion that her four years and countless hours studying could be replicated on the spot sent her into a rage, she was only mid rant when he actually cast it.


    She was speechless as she watched the magic completely healed a very damaged ankle. The light faded, and her mind raced at lightning speed trying to process what she witnessed, some of those thoughts exiting her mouth as she did so.


    ¡®WHAT?! This has to have been a trick, an illusion. No, it was definitely healing magic. Maybe staged, and he knew the magic all along? But then there''d be no point in even coming here! WAIT, HE DIDN''T SAY ANYTHING TO INITIATE THE SPELL! But that was magic and you just didn''t even say anything?! No prayer! No chant! No words at all!¡¯ Her thoughts mixed with her words.


    Then a thought struck her yet again. ¡®What is he?¡¯ She had studied nearly all of the races, and this man didn''t seem to resemble any specific one.


    As soon as she confronted him about it, the selarin grabbed him and they ran. Out of instinct Allis chased after them, shouting for them to stop, but she lost them in the winding alleyways.


    Even though she lost the pair, she searched for them all over town until she exhausted herself into the evening. When she got home she could barely sleep, because for the first time in a long time she didn''t feel hollow.


    ________________________________________________


    -PRESENTDAY-


    When Allis got out of bed she felt tired, but that hollow feeling was replaced with determination. Determination to find out who and what that man was, and why she felt like he held something, ¡®Special? Important? Great? Meaningful? Significant?¡¯, she was frustrated that she didn''t know what it was and couldn''t place the feeling. Her mind wouldn''t let up on trying to figure out who the mystery man was, while her gut was screaming at her to find him.


    And this time she would listen.


    Instead of going to her clinic, she wandered the town searching for him. It didn''t help that she couldn''t recall his name, she never bothered getting to know people so what was the point. It was late into the morning when the people she started to talk to mentioned rumors of a dragon residing at the inn. Allis brushed them off as the town''s latest piece of gossip, that is until she overheard a few descriptions of the man. A combination of dwarf, elf, dryad and beast clan.


    After hearing that, she headed straight for the inn. She was confused as to how such a rumor spread about him, but she remembered the selarin with him. She blushed at the thought, but shook it from her mind. The lean woman knew that the man wasn''t a dragon. Even though dragons can swap between two distinct forms, he had none of the features associated with a dragon in their smaller form.


    When the noble crested mage got to the inn, she questioned the innkeeper about the so-called dragon, giving him a short description. He smirked and asked if she was looking for Leo, and that he actually asked about her earlier today before leaving. He gestured to the dining area and told her that she was free to wait for him, because he and the woman paid to stay for two months.


    Not wanting a repeat from the clinic, she took a seat at the far corner to the left of the inn''s entrance, so that she could block the door once they entered.


    She ordered her thoughts on what she knew of him while waiting for his return. ¡®He looks like a mish mash of different races, he can learn magic pretty much instantly, he can cast without the use of words, and he has the sexual stamina of a dragon. Gods, it''s like the mans from anoth-¡¯


    Her eyes went wide, the thought not needing to finish as the significance of it crashed into her. ¡®That, that''s not possible¡­ The practice is banned, going against every kingdom''s laws... But even the law didn''t stop Taipa from sending that raid¡­ And it even explains why that selarin grabbed him and ran as soon as I asked about his race. He also knew about body structure well enough to cast healing magic, but acted like he never went to an academy¡­¡¯


    ¡®If he''s actually a summon, then he could cripple entire kingdoms, completely change the power balance of the world, kill any...one¡­¡¯ Her thoughts trailed off as a plan formed at the back of her mind.


    Leo and Elaria walked into the inn some time after lunch, and Allis set off to confront him. She resolved herself to use him by any means to get what she wanted. Though she didn''t care for power, wealth, or even controlling the world. What she wanted was simple, it was something that she longed for ever since leaving Taipa''s estate, and even more so when Vipa told her about their fathers death.


    ¡®Revenge.¡¯


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 16

    ________________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis could barely process the little speech and performance. ¡®If it''s true he can kill a dragon, then I have nothing solid to hold over him. And if he has that much power, then what could I possibly even offer him that he couldn''t manage to get on his own¡­¡¯ She thought as her body was still racked with shock.


    ¡®Will I never be able to make Taipa pay for what she''s done, to make her suffer the way I have? No! I don''t care what I have to give, I want- no, I need to have my revenge! I''LL DO ANYTHING TO GET WHAT I-¡¯ Her thoughts halted as a memory of her father agreeing to marry Taipa flashed across her mind.


    The mage¡¯s eyes widened as something began to crack, and she started to tear up at the building pressure. ¡®I-I didn''t mean- I can''t become- No no no no no¡­ I just wanted this feeling to go away, I didn''t mean to¡­¡¯


    Not since her last year at the academy did she catch herself behaving this way, manipulating and exploiting people for her own end. In fact, the memories of all she''s done up to this point seemed to burst like a dam, which began to wash away all of her teachings on being nobility. The overwhelming realization of what she''d become over the years caused a torrent of tears to fall down her face.


    A horde of questions filled her thoughts, all seeming to repeat over each other for her attention. ¡®What have I done? Did I really waste my time? Did I ruin my only chance at revenge? Do I even deserve to have it? Am I just going to have to go back home? Back to feeling hollow every time I wake? Will I continue to be alone with my thoughts? Wondering ¡®what if¡¯? Going back to rotting away on the inside? Will I eventually become her...¡¯ Her gut sank, as something seemed to break.


    She slid out of the chair and dropped to her hands, and with every fiber of her being she begged and pleaded for him to help her. She was on her hands, crying and begging like she was offering herself to a god. ¡°Please, I can''t! I need this! The feeling! Don''t, Please!¡± She cried out to him incoherently, then felt a hand on her shoulder not long into her groveling.


    ¡°I didn''t say no, so please calm down.¡± He consoled while kneeling down next to her, though his actions felt hesitant.


    She looked up at him, her face filled with desperation, while he was looking down at her with a pitying and slightly awkward expression. ¡°Look, sorry if I scared you, but you kind of crossed a line for me.¡± He sighed. ¡°Bad first impressions aside, will you please tell me why you want to go after this person, so that I might actually want to help.¡± He asked with a sincere tone while his calming dark brown eyes slowly brought her down from her panic.


    Allis nodded sheepishly, and proceeded to explain everything to them.


    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    After doing a bit of uncomfortable damage control, Leo was sitting on the edge of the bed listening to Allis as she finished her story. ¡®Damn I was such a shallow dumbass.¡¯ He thought while pinching the bridge of his nose, angry with himself for treating people as two dimensional.


    ¡®I assumed that she was just a manipulative high class bitch¡­ I mean she kinda is- But fuck, I need to remember that this is an actual world. Sure they''ll be the occasional stereotype, but I can''t just judge people entirely off them. Even though this feels like a fantasy, this is my new reality, so I can''t treat it like it''s all fiction. God I feel like the blond shithead with the spear from that one anime.¡¯ He mentally berated.


    He looked over to Elaria, who didn''t move or say anything since they walked into the room. She gave him an uneasy look and shrugged. Turning back to Allis, she was perched on her coiled tail with her body slumped forward, looking all the world like her depression was somehow contagious.


    An exhausted breath left him before his expression softened. ¡°You know if you led with that, then I would have most likely helped you.¡± He admitted bluntly while the arrogant woman surprisingly shrank in on herself even more at the response.


    Closing his eyes, he placed his fingers on his temple. ¡°Hypothetically, if I helped you get your hands on her with no repercussions, what would you do?¡±


    She straightened up and stared him in the eyes. ¡°Make her suffer for what she did.¡± She answered coldly, but the very vague response received a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay, how?¡± He asked more specifically, but she appeared to visibly be unable to find the words to respond.


    He groaned, quickly getting a grasp on how both serious and utterly inane the situation was. ¡°How will you make her suffer? What exactly do you want to do? I mean you had years to come up with something. Did you really just spend all that time as a depressed wreck on the inside, while acting like a stuck up bitch on the out? Please tell me that you have some Idea?!¡± He couldn''t help the frustration that seeped out of his voice.


    Allis tried to answer, but her mouth was just opening and closing as nothing came out.


    ¡°So let me get this straight, you attempted to blackmail me without even having a specific goal in mind. And what, you thought that I would have all the answers? Do they not teach you any critical thinking at this prestigious academy?¡± He lambasted her, making the previously snide selarin flinch. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    For as much as he hated dealing with entitled pricks, his own attitude was veering into a place that he had an equal disdain for after making the woman cry, as well as somewhat scared of him after his display. He quickly apologized for the outburst upon seeing her reaction, because they really got off on the wrong foot.


    The noble woman balled her hands and her expression was that of complete regret. ¡°Well nearly all of the curriculum for non-nobility is dedicated to noble practice and study.¡± She said with a downcast voice, her hood drooping sadly as she slumped a bit.


    And that was the straw that broke the camel''s back.


    His shoulders slumped and mouth went agape as he started to internally wrestle with his thoughts. ¡®Brainwashing too, fucking really?! Rampant corruption, regular and contracted slavery, wide spread exploitation, and systematic abuse of the lower class. I know that times are different here, but come the fuck on! This world has magic for fucks sake!¡¯ That was the equivalent of playing civilisation on easy difficulty, but it seemed to only exacerbate their problems.


    ¡®I''ve nearly had it with just the selarin government, but if every kingdom''s academies are indoctrinating people¡­ Damn it, this whole world is fucked! I just wanted to learn magic and continue my relationship with Elaria... But my tolerance for this world''s bullshit is making me not just want to rock the boat, now I want to sink the motherfucker and rebuild it.¡¯


    Glancing between the two selarin, he started to form an Idea.


    ________________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria remained a silent observer during Leo and Allis''s conversation, because her emotions and thoughts were all over the place since entering the inn.


    The noblewoman had put together the summon''s secret, and she had been initially terrified, believing that dragons would swoop in and kill them both. Though to her relief and considerable annoyance it turned out that Allis, like every other noble, wanted to use someone to get what they wanted. Unfortunately for the blackmailing mage though, he wasn''t as helpless as she thought.


    Elaria did have to admit that his performance was entertaining, and a little comical. She was also happy to learn that he held life in such high regard, not wanting to callously kill on a whim like some of the more cruel people she knew. She thought Allis would just be a bit demoralized at having nothing to really hold over him when he finished, but did not expect the prideful woman to have a breakdown and start begging for his help.


    She didn''t know what to be more shocked by, the fact that he swung the situation so far in his favor, or that a mage from the academy was on her hands begging for help. The state Allis was in brought on familiar memories, causing her to feel only a little bad for them, despite being called a sleeve.


    After he knelt down to comfort the sudden wreck, Allis told them her tragic life story, making Elaria feel a muted pity for them.


    ¡®Does not excuse her for acting like a royal bitch though.¡¯ She thought bitterly.


    Leo seemed like he was wrestling with his thoughts, trying to figure out what to do. Elaria was at a bit of a loss as well, but she definitely did not want to get mixed up with the nobility, especially a regional one.


    ¡®Hell, if they got caught trying to kill this Taipa, then the dragons might be the least of her worries.¡¯ She winced at the thought.


    Killing such a high ranking noble has a long and literal torturous process of public humiliations, with any direct relatives sold into slavery. She knew this because servants of nobility would often be accused of killing a noble when one had a convenient death that benefited the accuser.


    ¡®It was a common request fro-¡¯ She smothered the distant thought.


    The human finally spoke after a few contemplative minutes. ¡°Allis, I need a moment with Elaria. I''m going to cast a spell to distort the sound around us so we can have some privacy, so just wait there a moment.¡± The healer nodded with an expression of surprise.


    Leo continued after the spell was cast. ¡°So, I want to help her.¡± He raised his hand to stop her protest. ¡°That being said, I''m not going to run off and help assassinate a noble. This Lady Taipa sounds like a real piece of shit, but she''s not the only reason I want to help, nor is she the only thing that I want to help with.¡± He finished.


    ¡°I don''t understand, what do you mean the only thing?¡± She gave him a confused look.


    He took in a breath as a mixture of emotions warped his features. ¡°The reason I want to help is because of the way this world is run, it sickens me to my core. And I can''t sit by and do nothing about it, as much as I would like nothing more than to buy a home in the countryside and live out the rest of my life peacefully.¡±


    She did not like where he was going with this. ¡°Leo, what are you saying? It''s not like you could change the world¡­¡± She paused, realizing that he had the power to try and do just that.


    He put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Elaria, I come from a world that may not be perfect, but most nay-shons- Er- kingdoms seem to have nowhere near the level of cruelty and abuse that the ones here have. The casual mention of slavery alone makes my stomach turn, and I''ve only been ignoring it because it seems so wide spread. Actually that''s the excuse I used for all the sickening things that I''ve learned, but that pile of crap has grown far too large for me to ignore. That, and I may be the only one who is able to do something about it.¡±


    The green scaled selarin couldn''t believe what he was saying. Change the world and get rid of its cruel systems? That was not only insane, but literally impossible. He would have to go up against not just the dragons, but the might of entire kingdoms, armies, and academies.


    ¡®That''s just suicide!¡¯


    She took a step back as a slight tremble shot through her, shaking off his hand in the process. ¡°Leo, what you''re talking about doing, it''s going to have you fighting against the world. I don''t care if you''re a summon or if you can casually kill dragons, you alone don''t have the power to restructure how the world works. Even the summons before you had the backing of a kingdom, and even if you did, the dragons along with all the other kingdoms would wipe you out!¡± She pleaded, trying to reason with him.


    Leo just smiled, and Elaria wasn''t sure if he heard a word of what she said. ¡°But I''m not going to go up against them all alone, nor will I be putting myself out in the open.¡± His smile grew even wider before he finished.


    ¡°Tell me Elaria, do you know what a revolution is?¡±


    ________________________________________________

 Chapter 17

    ________________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was beyond frustrated, despite the initial grin that was spread across his face at the start of his first explanation on what revolution''s were, because he didn''t just have to explain once, twice, or even three times. No, he had to go over it four times for the two selarin, who were still just blankly staring at him.


    ¡®How hard is it for them to understand, I''m not even a fucking visionary!¡¯ He screamed in frustration at the back of his mind.


    Pinched the bridge of his nose, he couldn''t help but let out an exasperated breath. ¡°Okay, what''s the issue? I''ve reexplained it to the point that a child from my world could understand.¡± He asked Irritably.


    Elaria cocked her head and furrowed her brow. ¡°Well your world doesn''t have magic, right? So of course something like that would work, but a few mages ordered from the academy can put down anything.¡±


    ¡°In fact, they even have an organized group tasked with putting down revolts.¡± Allis added curtly, but then apologized for the tone.


    Leo slumped a bit at the reminder, but rolled his eyes. ¡°Well of course they do, and let me guess, they''re called inquisitors.¡± He said with a smirk, while they both nodded with slightly confused expressions.


    It took a second for the label to sink in, and he let out a resigned sigh. ¡®It hurts when my off hand jokes turn out to be true¡­¡¯ His thought trailed off with a little dejection, before he continued. ¡°Okay, but how often do mages support the revolts?¡± He asked curiously.


    Allis shrugged. ¡°There are the occasional self-taught mages, but they are no match for a group of twelve who are academy trained.¡± She ended with a prideful smugness, but then winced upon catching herself.


    He felt bad for Allis, as having to shake her reflexively rude behavior was going to be tough for her, but at least she was now aware of it. ¡°And what about academy mages defecting? I doubt that all of them are happy with how things are run, especially those who didn''t start out as nobility or wealthy aristocrats. I mean, you seem like you''re okay with the idea.¡±


    ¡°Well for one, I didn''t start out as either, so I don''t care too much. And two, the idea of Taipa having everything taken from her, and being forced into the streets is the best kind of revenge I could ever want, so I''d be more than willing to give up my status just to see that reality. But would you want to burn up the four years of education and status you''ve achieved, by merely following what your heart wants?¡± Allis explained snidely, but then apologized profusely.


    Leo mentally winced at how accurate that comment actually was. ¡®First off, way too close to home there. Secondly, she does have a point. The active effort to brainwash non-nobility into wanting to keep the status quo for their own benefit is a problem. There are probably a few like Allis, but those people who would want to give up everything for a cause would be a tiny minority, of an already tiny minority.¡¯


    He groaned, knowing that there was no other way than to bridge that power gap. ¡°I guess I''ll just have to make it so that the common man can fight a mage.¡±


    The two selarins both stared at him like he just topped the stupidest thing he''s said today. ¡°What?!¡± He remarked defensively.


    Allis gave him a tired look. ¡°No offence, but you seem out of your depth. Even a large group of well trained soldiers would get wiped out by an academy mage, the best they could hope for is making them run out of mana for a killing blow.¡± She clarified while stifling the attitude that was present for half of it.


    A few obvious tactics caused him to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Run out of mana? Wouldn''t just rushing at them or firing arrows do the trick?¡± He inquired with a bit of confusion.


    ¡°A mana barrier that covers your body can block almost any physical attack, it''s one of the first things you''re taught at the academy.¡± Allis answered with a dismissive shake of the head.


    His brow arched, and hoped that the barrier wasn''t stronger than something going roughly at the speed of a bullet. ¡°How much damage can that withstand?¡± He probed further.


    ¡°Well it can be as strong as the mage can visualize, and the barrier also repairs very quickly, but that would take a lot of mana to maintain if it gets constantly damaged. Blunt and slashing weapons are pretty much useless, but anything that has enough strength focused into a single spot can break through pretty easily. A spiked halberd, or a point blank crossbow shot would do the trick. Good luck getting close enough to use it though.¡± Allis finished explaining much to his delight.


    A devilish smile appeared on his face, since he could do much better than a crossbow. ¡°Oh, I think I have a solution for that, but I''ll try to explore less lethal options. Suffice to say for that to happen I''ll need to learn more about the world, as well as master magic to a sufficient degree before I actually try and start a rebellion.¡± He told them while glancing at Allis expectantly.


    It took an awkward moment for her to understand. ¡°You''re an arch mage, what could I possibly teach you?¡± She questioned incredulously.


    He sighed exhaustedly, as magic itself was the thing he knew almost nothing about. ¡°No magic on my world Allis, I''m just applying what I already know about the physical world to do things with it. I know almost nothing about magic itself and I want to learn to make runes, especially If I am going to arm a rebellion, but for the moment I mostly need it to make money. I''m kinda broke on account of arriving on this world only a couple of days ago.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    She nodded understandably, but gave him a curious look. ¡°Okay, sure, that''s easy enough, especially since you can learn magic on the spot. Also, I''ve been wondering, who summoned you?¡±


    The unaware human was about to say no one, but it was very unlikely considering current events. ¡°Well, I don''t know...¡±


    Partially suspicious, he recounted his experience arriving in the forest, noting that he was completely alone. He knows for sure that popping up here right before two superpowers are about to go to war is way more than just convenient, but he didn''t have a clue as to why no one was there. Not to mention how easy it was for him to break the balance of the magic system, and as a developer that kind of irked him.


    ¡®Huh, who summoned me?¡¯


    ________________________________________________


    Inconspicuous watcher ( Fel )


    Below a clear lit moonlight, In a massive camp far outside Telnar, crackling sounds erupted from a distorting of space at the center of the camp. A few moments later a hooded figure appeared surrounded by over a dozen selarins along with various supplies. Seconds later the area is flooded by the inhabitants of the camp, carrying away supplies and directing the new arrivals.


    A large two legged selarin with scars running down her arms walked over to the hooded figure, and looked over them with worry. ¡°That was less than half of what you brought when you started, you need to rest¡±


    The figure shook their head, and the selarin let out an irritated groan before continuing. ¡°I may not be able to cast magic, but you are nearing twenty trips and the wear of it started to show around seven.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­can...do...one...more¡­¡± The figure wheezed out before collapsing.


    When the figure awoke, they found themselves on a bed in one of the camp''s tents. Her hood was gone and she noticed her smooth skin was a sickly white, because of all the mana she squeezed out of her body.


    It took all of her strength to sit up and start scarfing down food left on a nearby table. She needed to recover all her mana before attempting that many teleports again. Since she was in no state to do anything for the next few hours, she pulled out her orb to give the emergency report that she conveniently forgot to do.


    Holding up the orb to her face, she spoke. ¡°Yez¡­ You there?¡±


    The orb brightened. ¡°Hey wha- Gods! Fel, your skin looks almost bleached?! The hell happened?¡± Yez asked with a deep concern.


    Fel groaned, knowing that this conversation was going to suck. ¡°Well that''s because I teleported eighteen times, ferrying about two hundred selarins with supplies.¡± She answered while bracing herself for Yez''s response.


    The orb brightened sharply, and Fel winced at the light. ¡°Why the fuck would you do that?! That''s weeks of work you pushed out in a day! And you''re now almost a year ahead of schedule!¡± Yez shouted in a rage.


    Fel''s eyes drifted guiltily away from the orb. ¡°Unfortunately as quickly as Leo gave us that time, the bastard seemed to swing it well past our deadline.¡± She responded with a chuckle, and maybe a little pride too.


    The orb''s light faded to a glow. ¡°What? The hell happened to make us behind schedule. Wait, did the selarin high nobility discover him?¡± Yez asked in concern.


    ¡°No.¡± Fel sighed, and resigned herself to explain the truth. ¡°A rumor about him spread across town like wildfire, it was the kind that would draw little attention, but It concerned me enough to go looking for him. It was sometime in the afternoon when I found him, he was just outside one of the town''s entrances, testing his magic. The entrance was secluded and unused, it was a smart idea considering he was flying around without a care in the world.¡±


    The orb''s light spiked so high that Fel nearly dropped it to cover her eyes. ¡°WHA- YOU SAD HE DIDN''T KNOW MAGIC! How the hell was he flying a day after learning¡­?!¡± The orb dimmed. ¡°Fel, what was your intent when you performed the ritual? This is beyond just someone who can help with our plans.¡± Yez probed suspiciously.


    Fel shrunk in on herself, knowing that this was the crux of what she''d been wanting to avoid. ¡°Well¡­ I may have gotten frustrated that it failed so many times, so I may have tweaked it a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Fel...¡± Yez warned.


    ¡°I may have let slip some raw desire in the intent¡­¡± Fel quickly blurted out.


    The glow spiked. ¡°Fel!¡±


    ¡°Yes I know that I could have gotten myself killed if I summoned a monster or something! ... But It worked out¡­¡± Fel hastily defended.


    The orb pulsed in brightness. ¡°Worked out?! The man casually learned to fly in an afternoon! That draws way more attention than what we need right now! ... Fucking hell Fel, I''m starting to worry about what exactly you''ve brought onto this world.¡± Yez berated her, because the years of training it took for Fel to specifically avoid doing that had been rendered partially pointless.


    Fel frowned, looking away from the orb. ¡°Well he seems docile enough, and the rumors were¡­interesting.¡± She pouted a bit.


    The orb dimmed once more as Yez relented. ¡°Fine, I see why we''re now behind, but don''t push yourself into a coma, and just keep to the schedule now or else I''m pulling you out. You''ve already moved a third of what we need, so two teleport trips a day should be more than enough to get you sorted to start the next phase.¡±


    Fel grimaced from both the pain and having to be told to follow the schedule, again. ¡°Make that one and I think I''ll be done in about a week¡­ Ugh. I feel like I ripped my bones out...¡±


    ¡°Been there before, I recommend just taking the day off to rest.¡± Yez told her empathetically.


    ¡°Sure, thanks for the advice. Talk to you tomorrow.¡± Fel said as her depleted mana made her want to fall back to sleep.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Oh by the way, what was that rumor?¡± Yez asked curiously.


    Fel snorted as she recalled what people were saying. ¡°He apparently has the stamina of a dragon.¡± She answered with a chuckle, and ended the connection when she heard laughter from the other side.


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 18

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Last night Elaria was starting to reconsider her relationship with Leo, as he essentially declared that he wanted to take on the entire world. Luckily he explained to her that it would be years, maybe even a decade, before he was prepared enough to be able to start a revolution, because he needed to actually build up the power and connections to really back one. The thought of it actually taking so long relieved her, as she believed that he might give up on the suicidal task at some point.


    He told them that it was going to take so long because he needed to learn everything, master magic, earn a fortune, acquire connections, consolidate political power, and find more allies. This explanation prompted both Allis and Elaria to ask if he was high nobility or royalty, because that level of planning took them both by surprise.


    He laughed, while saying he would probably be his kingdom''s equivalent of a peasant, and that wealth, status or lineage does not denote your intelligence. Allis tried to ask how a peasant would know so much, and he told her what his trade was, and tried to explain something called the internet.


    After a few hours of conversation, mostly exchanging information on each other''s worlds, Allis went home, and Elaria passed out on the bed with Leo. They were both too exhausted for any pleasurable activities, as much as they wanted to relieve the stress of that day.


    ¡­


    Upon awakening the next morning, they got ready and had breakfast while they waited for Allis, because she was going to teach him how to make runes. He seemed excited at the chance to start learning, as he said that if it was as broken as he assumes, then he''ll make his wealth in no time.


    Elaria knew that mages sold rune enchanted items for up to full gold coins, but he said that if the runes are easy to make, then he''ll sell things for a few silver each. Opting to make his money quickly en-masse, rather than looking for one large payout.


    He tried to explain what some of the things he was going to make were, and they all sounded very useful, but she was still confused as to how they were originally made without magic.


    She tapped her claw-like nails on the table as she propped up her head with her other hand. ¡°Leo, last night you told us some pretty amazing things that your world had, plows that let a farmer plant whole fields in less than a day, towers that scrape the sky made of glass, ships that fly, a world of information accessible to everyone. But, how is any of that not magic?¡± She asked skeptically.


    He leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin in thought. ¡°Eh, there''s a quote from a writer on my world that can best explain why you may think that it''s magic, but it''s not. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Say, for example, if you were brought to a world where all people fought with were rocks and spears, and you were armed with a steel sword and armor, what would they think of those items.


    ¡°They would be too primitive to under¡­stand¡­ You think that we''re primitive savages?¡± She responded while sounding slightly insulted.


    His eyes went wide as his brow arched. ¡°No no no no no no, your technology is primitive. Just because my world has created such advanced technology, doesn''t mean I know how to make it myself, only how to use it and the basic principles behind its function. You may know how to use a steel sword, but can you make one?¡±


    She shook her head and started to connect the dots. ¡°So you would just be introducing something new that would take us a long time to figure out on our own?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Exactly! Well, more or less. Magic kinda fucked your technological development, because it took us only a few hundred years to get to where we are from the point your at. But you''ve been stuck in the same rut for what I assume to be tens of thousands of years, because no one with the education wants to create anything new, it''s all focused on magical development. And why waste making anything for the peasantry unless they can pay for it?¡± He explained impassively.


    ¡®That¡­actually makes sense...¡¯If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    A greedy grin replaced his warm smile. ¡°With the concepts that I know, I can create things that will make life easier for everyone, and by selling them cheap I''ll make more money than I''d know what to do with, because no one is selling magical tools to the peasants. I will have that entire market to myself, at least until merchants and aristocrats catch on, but by then I''ll have a mon oply on, well, everything.¡±


    ¡°Wow that''s, wait what''s a mon oply?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was initially annoyed at having to explain yet another concept, but a smile came to his face as a road map for changing the world started to form in his head.


    Using his knowledge of economics and technology he could easily work to undermine the powers of the kingdom, then spread out his influence to the others. He doesn''t actually want to rule over anyone though, because he didn''t want to have to deal with game of thrones style power plays for the rest of his life, not to mention the paperwork. After his revolution, he would just reform and restructure the selarin government, and then make them so prosperous that they influence all the other kingdoms.


    ¡®I always liked a good culture victory. I''ll still have to make a few basic magic rifles for a private army to protect my stuff, but that''s a few years down the line. I have to establish myself first, and that''s going to take some time. Not to mention dealing with the dragons, but I''ll basically be ignoring them as soon as I find out what they are actually capable of and develop some countermeasures.¡¯ What would eventually have to be done almost made him grimace.


    ¡®Even though I don''t wanna kill anyone, I''m not above defending myself. There''s no fight that can''t be solved with a few hundred G''s and some¡­ lead? No, just very fast rocks¡­ So lead. Hopefully it will never come to that though, because I still don''t wanna see what that actually does to something that''s alive...¡¯ His mental planning was interrupted when he saw Allis enter the inn.


    His new party member slid over to their table while carrying a few large books. ¡°Hello Leo, I brought the books you asked for.¡± She said as she laid them out on the table.


    Before Allis left last night, he asked her to bring back some books, one on the general history of Selaria, one on the world, one on the study of mana, and one on runic magic. He wanted to start the long and tedious process of research, but if he had to be honest it felt more like he was about to read some entertaining fictional lore.


    He smiled at the books, because knowledge was literal power on this world. ¡°Thanks Allis, I should be able to knock this out in a few days. I''ll mostly be focusing on runic magic though, so could you go over the general setup to start.¡± He asked as he picked out the book on runes.


    She nodded and took on the air of an instructor. ¡°To actually start making runes is easy, the difficulty stems from its long process and construction. The runes are essentially words of power given form by the mage, and just like a language these words can be structured to-¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I get it. Can you just show me how to make one?¡± He interrupted, waving his hand dismissively.


    His sagely tutor¡¯s eye twitched, and she tensed up. ¡°You can''t jus-...¡± She trailed off, probably realizing that she was about to go into the same rant she gave him when they first met.


    With a resigned sigh, she relaxed. ¡°Fine¡­ Just direct your hand toward what you want to enchant, focus your thoughts on a single word that has meaning, then push your mana out onto the object. The rune will start to grow out from a spec, and the speed of its growth will depend on how well you can direct your mana. It usually takes a few minutes for-¡±


    ¡°Done.¡± He interrupted while gesturing to a rune about three inches in length that was glowing faintly on the table.


    Allis blankly stared, mouth agape, at the newly created translation rune. ¡°What the hell are you¡­?¡± She asked no one in particular, her voice saturated in disbelief.


    He smirked as he waved a hand over the rune, dissipating it instantly. ¡°A little annoyed by how easy that was, but let''s continue. How do I structure the runes and how are they powered?¡±


    She glared at him for a few seconds before realizing her own expression, and then apologized for the look, but he told her that he did deserve that one. ¡°Well you simply thread mana between one rune to another with an intent on how they should affect one another, and they are powered by ambient mana. They siphon mana from the air around us, the bigger the rune, the more mana it can siphon and the stronger it becomes.¡±


    The stunned human gawked at Allis, and minutes passed by as he tried to process what she told him.


    Elaria waved a hand in front of his face. ¡°Um Leo? Are you alright?¡± She asked worriedly.


    He snapped out of his daze and directed his full attention to Allis. ¡°Allis¡­ Can a rune ever cause the area around it to run out of mana, even momentarily?¡±


    ¡°No, or at least there have never been any recorded cases.¡±


    A single solitary thought echoed through his head as he struggled to process the implications of her words.


    ¡®Yeah, that seems perfectly balanced¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 19

    _________________________________________


    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.


    _________________________________________


    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.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    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 ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á model 00971k imperial ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á service construct.


    Maintenance for the ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á core is self sustaining.


    Operational life expectancy : Indefinite under optimal environmental conditions.


    Lifetime Warranty: Covers damaged ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á 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?¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 20

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    It was early morning the next day when Leo woke up again, and his body was aching as a result of Allis''s ¡®Special¡¯ venom. Its effects on the local inhabitants helped them last a little longer in bed, but unfortunately for him it worked way too well on a human, causing him to lose complete control of himself.


    The effect was like a super snake viagra aphrodisiac that had a child with the world''s most dangerous energy drink for his balls. It also made him unable to remember the entire affair, which really pissed him off because a third challenger, a waitress, entered the ring to help bring him down.


    Suffice to say he made Allis swear to never use the stuff on him ever again because of the state it left him in. He couldn''t even magic away the pain of exhaustion, so he was stuck in bed for the day as Elaria went out to tell Glia the unfortunate news while Allis stayed behind to help him study.


    ¡®Damn, and I really was looking forward to what she was going to do with her tail¡­¡¯ It was a disappointing thought, but he resigned himself to reading the book on this world''s general history.


    ¡°An eruption of energy elevated the gods to power¡­ A war culled their number¡­ A pantheon was founded¡­ The mortal world was shaped by the pantheon¡­ bla bla bla¡­ Created the elements¡­ Structured mana¡­ Skip!¡± He muttered with complete disinterest before flipping to after the creation of the world and more historical documents.


    ¡°Does the creation of existence and the elevation of the gods really bore you?¡± Allis asked critically from her seat next to the bed.


    ¡°Religion is a touchy subject on my world, and the story of how the world was created has been told countless times. I''ve read lots of iterations on it, many myths, fables, and religious texts. The topic bores me, and is irrelevant to the here and now. Besides, they either don''t exist on my world, or have taken a hands off approach for the last millennium or so.¡± He explained a little tiredly, since the topic in relation to his world was an even larger can of worms than trying to explain anything related to science.


    ¡°What? No gods?¡± She questioned with no small amount of shock, her hood perking up to further emphasize her surprise.


    All he could do was shrug and continue to flip through the book. ¡°No magic, and no gods. We work very hard to prove the existence of things that exist, but if all we have are hundreds of religions telling a different story and no god to come out and say which one is correct, then we simply can''t verify any of it.¡± He clarified for the bewildered selarin.


    She cocked her head at him as if she realized something. ¡°But Leo, the gods are real here. In fact they most often assist in rituals that relate to them, speaking directly to all involved.¡± She informed him with an assurity that caused him to put down his book to stare at her skeptically.


    ¡°Wait, so if I go pray at a sanctified temple, would they actually speak with me?¡± He was curious now, because he had many questions that he definitely wanted answers to.


    The academy mage crossed her arms and wore an expression of doubt. ¡°Only if one wants to, they are picky about who they show themselves to if it doesn''t immediately involve them. So you might get lucky with one of the pantheon, more often than not a minor God will respond, but none of them would dare waste their time with peasants.¡± She frowned at her own biting tone near the end.


    ¡°What''s the difference, and do the pantheon rarely interact with mortals?¡± Leo inquired further.


    ¡°Those of the pantheon are the founding gods, they have existed before creation. Minor gods are mortals elevated to Godhood by the pantheon to help with interaction on the physical plane. There are twelve on the pantheon, and about a hundred minor gods. They only get involved in major events, probably like the upcoming war. And minor gods directly work under the pantheon, many residing in capital cities or secluded temples.¡± Allis explained while sliding into a high attitude, but frowned again upon immediately catching the slip up.


    ¡®Okay, maybe there''s more to this than I thought, so visiting the nearest temple just got bumped up in priority.¡¯


    ¡°Where''s the nearest sanctified temple?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The only one in selaria that I know of is the capital''s temple, the rest are either not sanctified or in the middle of nowhere.¡± She answered after some visible concentration.


    ¡®Definitely need to make my money and establish myself first then.¡¯


    He returned to reading the book once again, while Allis none too subtly, and quite literally, snaked her way up next to him on the bed and rested her head on his shoulder. He still had some mixed feelings about her, especially from his monogamous human side, but he shrugged it off to focus on his book. It''s not like he was going to complain about her affections after fucking her, nor were they entirely unwelcomed.


    [ The first era, referred to as the founding era is speculated to have been the period of early creation, in which the ordering of the world took place¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Practically a million years ago, and nothing of note¡­¡¯


    [ The second era was marked by the minor God conflict, in which two of the pantheon fell¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Well, minor gods rebelled against the pantheon¡­¡¯


    [ The third era was marked by the rise of the lich king, ending with his death, but not before three races were driven to extinction¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Undead, that sounds fun¡­¡¯


    [ The fourth era was marked by the first summon and started the Arachne conquests¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®The first summon, huh? And he helped these ¡®Arachne¡¯¡­ I wonder if they are straight up spiders, or if they''re humanoid¡­ No, no, I''m not going to think about fucking a spider¡­ Stop it brain!¡¯


    [ The fifth era was marked by the creation of runic enchanting, and the fracturing of the Arachne empire¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®The new medium allowed mages to undermine the empire¡­ How though? I mean, I can think of a few ways, bombs, magic guns, traps, and other magical fuckery. Maybe all of those ideas were lost, it was what, hundreds of thousands of years ago?¡¯


    [ The sixth era was marked by the hell rift, and the demonic crusades¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Huh...¡¯


    [ The seventh era was marked by the second summon, followed by the closing of the hell rift and rise of tiefling domination¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Tieflings? Like as in D&D? ¡­ Okay you can go ahead all you like brain.¡¯


    [ The eighth era was marked by the end of the tiefling empire and the start of the war in heaven, in which the pantheon fractured and half of them were sent into exile¡­¡­¡­ ]The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡®Oh damn, an actual war of the gods¡­¡¯


    [ The ninth era was marked by the end of the war in heaven, and started the age of progress¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Age of progress? Maybe a renaissance of sorts?¡¯


    [ The tenth era was marked by the wrath of terra¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Oh fuck, the forces of nature basically pressed reset on civilization¡­¡¯


    [ The eleventh era was marked by a summon, which started the era of subjugation by the light born¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Christ, they purged four of the races they enslaved¡­¡¯


    [ The twelfth era was marked by the unification of the dragon race, and extermination of the light born¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Genocide doesn''t solve genocide. I''d put money on that there were at least some of them who didn''t agree with what their people were doing¡­¡¯


    He closed the book and let out a sigh, realizing he had only been reading for a few hours. ¡°That didn''t take nearly as long as I thought to get through.¡±


    Allis stirred from her nap and raised her head. ¡°Done already?¡± She yawned, her hood stretching up with the motion.


    Another book down and a little more informed, he leaned back into his pillow with a sigh. ¡°Yeah, I skipped over a lot of filler, the main points paint a pretty broad picture. In terms of what should actually be relevant to me, I need to focus on the book on Selaria, since hundreds of thousands of years of ancient history isn''t priority knowledge. All I really need are the key points and events.¡±


    She adjusted herself to cuddle closer to him. ¡°I thought that humans were knowledge seekers, is none of it really that important?¡±


    He rolled his eyes, because the book had very little knowledge that would hold his attention for long. ¡°Eh, I''ve basically consumed so much medi- history, that I scan over everything that seemed like a more or less predictable outcome. Anything that I don''t register as particularly new or important just bores me if I''m being honest. But the sixth and ninth era''s do interest me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I get why the ninth would be interesting, because many advanced secrets were lost after the wrath of terra. But why the sixth?¡± She pressed with a genuine interest.


    ¡°It''s not so much the invasion or the demons that caught my attention, but the portal they used to get here is definitely something that I want to investigate.¡± He answered while closing the book and tossing it on the pile, then pulled out the one on Selaria to read next.


    Allis was silent for a moment before she became a little crestfallen. ¡°Right, you want to find a way back home don''t you¡­¡±


    The formerly average human grinned before breaking out into laughter. ¡°Fuck No! While the option to go back would be nice to have, I''m mostly interested in other worlds.¡± He finished while hooking an arm around the cool-scaled selarin to comfort her, quickly growing fond of her sheepish side.


    She blushed a little at being pulled in, but seemed genuinely confused. ¡°But... How you describe your home, it sounds like everyone lives in the lap of luxury, not to mention all of the wondrous creations.¡±


    The sigh he let out was unavoidable when he recalled his luxurious lifestyle. ¡°That may be true, but let me explain why that kind of life, the one I lived anyway, is very stagnant. I wake up, go to my work space, sit there for twelve to fifteen hours and go back to sleep. All of my food and shopping is delivered to where I live, and where I live is about two to three times larger than the room we are in right now. No magic, no world wide conflicts to worry about, very little social interactions, and my job is to create exciting experiences for other people. Does that sound like a very desirable life?¡± He explained a little pitifully.


    ¡°That sounds...¡± She trailed off with her shoulders and hood slumping a little.


    He winced, knowing exactly the word she wanted to say. ¡°Sad? ¡­ Yeah, safe to say If I ever do get the chance to go back it''ll just be to bring back some stuff from over there, and to take care of some things that I left behind.¡±


    ¡®Mainly chucking my storage drives into a fire¡­¡¯ He mentally noted to himself if he ever did get the chance.


    Allis perked up and laid her head back on his shoulder. ¡°Well, glad you''re staying then.¡±


    Leo was surprised to feel himself smiling, finding it nice to just talk to her, which began to more or less resolve what initial negative feelings he had for the serpentine. So he flipped open the book on Selaria to start reading while he simply enjoyed her company.


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria was lucky enough to only escape with a slight limp from the incident with Allis''s venom, because Leo went the entire time at a dead sprint rather than pacing himself. She and Allis would probably still be in bed with him otherwise.


    She had to go tell Glia the bad news regarding Leo, and try to reschedule for next time. Coming up on the guard''s base, she thought about visiting the head guard and telling her about her potential release from service, but chose to leave it as a surprise for when he eventually pulls through with it. The acting superior that has a subordinate pay to be released from duty gets a fourth of the payment, so that should more than make up for the missing equipment.


    Walking into the base she came across Glia, who was just leaving.


    Glia smirked upon seeing her friend. ¡°Hey I knew you were eager but I think we should wait till we''re back in your room.¡± She teased.


    Elaria rolled her eyes, though she couldn''t deny it when it came to those activities. ¡°Hey Glia. I have some bad news.¡±


    Glia drooped her shoulders and tail, while a disappointed expression crossed her face. ¡°I knew it was too good to be true¡­ Did he fly off in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, no. He...¡± She trailed off and glanced around for any eavesdroppers, because Leo told her to keep any specifics regarding his activities away from people who didn''t already know. She moved away from anyone that might overhear them, and explained the bed ridden man''s situation.


    Her obsidian scaled friend stared blankly at her. ¡°Elaria.¡±


    ¡°Yes Glia?¡± She sheepishly responded.


    ¡°My next day off is a week from now¡­¡± She continued more coldly with narrowing eyes.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Elaria apologized.


    ¡°I have to wait an entire week, thinking about what you''ve just told me.¡± She stated irritably while running a hand across the sleek black scales on her head.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Elaria apologized.


    Glia closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°A week that I have to either watch grass grow, or watch him practice magic just out of my reach¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Elaria apologized.


    Glia let out a resigned sigh. ¡°Well, at least he put that bitch in her place. I got into an argument with her when she refused to give me medicine for someone in the infirmary.¡±


    Elaria understood the feeling, but after hearing Allis''s story, and nearly dying from pleasure together, she couldn''t help but have a more understanding opinion of her. She knew what it was like to have no control over your life, to slip into the thoughts of despair and self loathing. But that''s where the similarities ended, and she didn''t want to think back to those painful memories, she''s left that horrible life behind.


    Glia caught on to her mood change, something she always managed to do. ¡°Elaria? You alright?¡± She asked with a bit of concern.


    Elaria quickly shook out of her daze. ¡°Oh! Yeah, sorry. Well she''s begun to reign in her attitude since meeting him, so I think your next meeting will be better. She''ll most likely even apologize for the way she acted.¡±


    Her friend arched her brow and was visibly taken aback. ¡°Apologize? Damn, he really did fuck the arrogance out of her... So what are you gonna do now? I have the day off so I could join you.¡±


    She chuckled and waved a hand for her to follow. ¡°Sure, I''m just going to pick up a few materials for Leo. He wants to start making rune enchanted items to sell, so I''ll be stopping by the black smith and carpenter before heading back.¡±


    ¡°Wow, those things go for a lot. What''s he gonna make?¡± Glia asked curiously.


    ¡°I don''t know exactly, he said something about cooking bread¡­¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 21

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo wore a deadpan expression when he closed the book on selaria, after skimming through it at four times the speed of the last one. The book was almost entirely a propaganda piece, with very little factual information and heavily biased viewpoints.


    ¡®The fuck did I expect¡­¡¯ He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    There were very few key points that were worthy of note, but one stuck out like a sore thumb.


    [ The crown depends entirely on the grace of the nobility for their claim to the throne¡­¡­¡­ ]


    ¡®Isn''t that supposed to be the other way around? That makes It sound like the royalty are just figureheads¡­¡¯


    He was worried how he was going to go about restructuring the government, but if the core was already hollow, then his real challenge lies with removing the nobility. Depending on how poorly the royals themselves are treated by the nobles, it might be easy for him to convince them to implement laws in exchange for booting the nobles and increasing their authority over the kingdom.


    With a furrowed brow he turned to Allis, realizing that she would probably know way more than the book. ¡°What can you tell me about the current royalty? Most of this book seems like one big stroke to the nobility''s ego, eh, no offence.¡±


    Allis groaned, and the scales on her face scrunched up in a bit of strain. ¡°None taken in the slightest. I hated having to memorize the damn thing. As for royalty, they technically rule the kingdom, however the real power is held by the nobility. They own all the land, wealth and resources, plus they have academy backing.¡± She finished while aimlessly tracing a claw-like nail across his chest.


    ¡°So what''s the point in even having a crown, you''re pretty much an oligarchy.¡± He didn''t see much of a point in even having a monarchy then.


    ¡°The reason is to project unity and have a centralized army. If a kingdom is seen as divided, then they will succumb to constant open conflict with each other. Much cleaner to do backroom politics and assassination attempts than it is for every noble to be fighting each other with their own private army.¡± Allis explained as her tail coiled loosely around one of his legs.


    Leo pinched the bridge of his nose and let out an irritated groan. ¡°So is every kingdom''s ruler just a figurehead?¡±


    ¡°Most of them to an extent. I know that the dwarves, elves, tieflings, and beast clans are structured differently, while the dryads are more of a territory.¡±


    ¡®That¡­ Wait...¡¯ Leo''s thought was cut short by a long unanswered question. ¡°How many races and kingdoms are there?¡±


    Allis contemplated the question for a moment before answering. ¡°When it comes to races, I''d guess around a hundred. I''ve studied the general anatomy of nearly all of them, but there are quite a few sub races that aren''t entirely documented, yet they all are similar enough physically that it doesn''t matter. That is actually why you stood out to me when we met, you had too many visual relations to so many other races. As for established kingdoms, it was fifty two when I last checked, but that was when I was still in the academy.¡±


    Leo''s composure dropped as he processed the information. ¡®Okay¡­ Operation culture victory just entered inferno difficulty¡­ She said established kingdoms, that means there could also be a few dozen smaller ones in constant turmoil. Fuck me this is going to take some time¡­ And around a hundred races?! I''m guessing that number includes all the minor races as well, ones without large territories. That''s still just a fucking ridiculous number. It is kind of convenient though, since no one too knowledgeable will bat an eye when I pass myself off as one. The fucked ratio still draws attention, but that''s for the wrong reasons¡­¡¯


    He turned his head back to his cool clingy companion. ¡°What''s the number between major and minor races?¡±


    ¡°About thirty major and the rest are minor, the number changes every few decades though.¡± She clarified.


    ¡°Every few decades? Do new races just pop out of nowhere, or are races just elevated back and forth?¡± He didn''t quite believe how often it changed.


    ¡°Well, the gods like to add a few every time a catastrophic event wipes out most of the world''s population. Though any race that was established before said cataclysm usually has enough resources left over to restart. The dwarves and elves are some of the oldest, said to have come into being around the first or second era. And while the dragons are just as old, they are considered a minor race, since they have a low population and don''t bother with expansion.¡± She explained while her hand played with his short dark brown hair.


    ¡®The gods just pop life into existence on a whim? That sounds ridicul-¡­ Right, magic...¡¯


    The exhausted human shifted back into the bed. ¡°Since I''ve gotten through all four books, I am pretty much done with everything until Elaria gets back with those supplies. So I''m gonna take a nap while we wait.¡± Before he got too comfortable, he noticed Allis shift uncomfortably and hug tighter to his arm.


    Leo glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, because she looked like she wanted to ask something. ¡°Uh, Allis? What''s up?¡± He asked with a bit of caution.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She flustered a little. ¡°I know that you''re too exhausted to do anything lively¡­ But could you cast that spell you used with your hands last night¡­?¡±


    He snorted and couldn''t suppress the sly smile that stretched across his face. ¡°Sure, and I might have to teach you to cast it your...self¡­¡± He trailed off as an Idea came to him.


    ¡°Leo?¡± She asked curiously, since he seemed to go into a momentary daze, but it was soon replaced with a wide and greedy grin spreading across his face.


    ¡°I think I just came up with a way to make a lot of money.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria and Glia were heading back to the Inn after getting some supplies for Leo''s projects, some iron plates, wood planks, and a blank journal. Elaria spent almost all the coin she had on the purchases, but Leo would probably make it back many times over.


    ¡°So what''s the plan after he buys out your service?¡± Glia casually asked.


    ¡°I don''t really kn- Wait how did you know?!¡± Elaria''s eyes went wide, and she almost tripped at the question.


    Glia gave her an exasperated look, her tail coiling forward for her to absentmindedly pick at the scales. ¡°Elaria, I''m not an idiot. He''s basically on par with an arch mage, which means even though he is broke now, he might as well be walking around with a sign that says soon to be rich. And I don''t think he wants to have you leaving his side any time soon.¡±


    ¡°I mean, he doesn''t have to pay.¡± Elaria said, her voice a bit distant.


    Glia stopped walking, pulled her back by her shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. ¡°Elaria, I''m going to tell you this as a friend. You let the guard hold you back from him and I''ll personally slap you upside the head every chance I get.¡± She smacked her upside the head.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    The blunt woman grinned. ¡°Like that.¡±


    They started walking again as Elaria rubbed the side of her head with an irritated pout. ¡°I just said he didn''t have to, like hell if I''m letting anything hold me back from being with him.¡±


    Glia chuckled and laced her fingers behind her head. ¡°Yeah well, remember me when you end up needing guards for your manor, then I get to watch rich people''s grass grow.¡±


    ¡°You know, if he makes enough I could ask him to pay for your service as well.¡± If Leo did make as much coin as she thought he would, then it would only be a few days of work for her close friend to join her.


    Her dark scaled companion shook her head. ¡°Nah, as much as I hate guarding the town''s lawn, it''s peaceful and pays. And no offence, but Leo''s situation screams danger. So as much as I would love to take turns with the dragon, I''ll stay where I am until you plant some solid roots.¡±


    Elaria nodded understandably. ¡°That''s fair, we did take this posting for that reason, but I''d be damned if I let such a perfect guy slip through my claws.¡± She finished with her head tilted up, looking forward to her future for the first time in a long time.


    A sly smile crossed Glia''s face. ¡°Oh I bet, just make sure you don''t grip too tightly. You''d hate to damage the goo- Ow!¡± She was cut off by Elaria smacking her upside the head.


    Elaria stifled a laugh. ¡°You ass.¡±


    They both started laughing while they entered the Inn and headed for her room.


    ¡°So he''s in bed being cared for by the healer?¡± Glia cautiously asked.


    ¡°Yeah, her name''s Allis, and try to be nice. She might have been a royal bitch, but she has quite the story, and wants to be¡­better...¡± She trailed off, freezing in her tracks after taking a few steps into the room.


    Glia stepped around her. ¡°I''ll believe it when I seeee¡­¡­it.¡± Her eyes went wide as they fixated on the scene before them.


    Allis was sprawled out in the bed, her body a little limp while wearing a drunk expression of pure bliss. Leo was positioned next to her hips, while he held a small cloth that was buzzing and covered in runes.


    His eyes bounced between the two of them. ¡°Uuhhh, welcome back Elaria... And hi Glia¡­ What''s up?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    After Leo gave a slightly embarrassing explanation regarding his new invention, one of which Glia seemed almost entranced by, Elaria gave him the supplies he asked for. Last night when Kesl stumbled onto the unseemly scene of Leo, Elaria, Allis, and his missing niece, Leo asked what things he used to cook.


    ¡®Hmmm, not nearly enough for the meme, but I should be able to make a few hot plates to set up a stove, and maybe use the wood for a few tools, like a portable magic blender. He has a walk-in freezer, but I could sell him a hand held ice maker so that he could quickly dump some in his drinks. Oh right I almost forgot, I can sell him some recipes! Definitely going to introduce pizza to the world, and I''ll make a killing off of a ten percent cut of the profit.¡¯ His thoughts were interrupted by a tapping on his shoulder.


    ¡°Um, hey, Leo...could I borrow that cloth for a few days?¡± Glia awkwardly asked while her tail swayed expectantly.


    He arched a brow, not really caring for his quickly made prototype. ¡°Uhhh, sure. In fact you can keep it to make up for canceling. Just clean it bef-¡±


    Glia snatched the cloth, lit up like it was Christmas, and started toward the door. ¡°Alright, bye everyone! See you next week if you don''t drop by the gate!¡± She yelled out to Leo and Elaria, while they both watched speechlessly as she sped out of the room.


    He turned to Elaria with a greedy grin plastered across his face, knowing what his featured item for public sale was going to be.


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 22

    _________________________________________


    Kesl


    It''s been three days since Kesl had to shoulder-carry Tissa out of Leo''s room, and yesterday he had to sit down with her, yet again, to have a talk about her sleeping with the inn''s patrons. Although now he would probably settle for anyone but Leo, since he wanted her to be at least physically capable of working the next day. Unfortunately he imagined it would be difficult to try and keep her from attempting another round with the dragon.


    ¡®Gods, three selarin¡­ The fuck is he?¡¯ He thought in bewilderment, then noticed his two niece''s chatting in the back kitchen.


    ¡°I''m telling you, more than ten times! He was bedridden for nearly two days because of the venom, which made him push himself too quickly.¡± Tissa told her sister.


    ¡°Okay, I can''t deny that he slew two others as well, but over ten-¡± Vissa was cut short by their annoyed uncle.


    ¡°Is that productive work I hear back there?¡± He warned from the order window and sighed as Tissa rushed out of the kitchen to serve food.


    Kesl was handing out drinks at the bar when he spotted Leo and company enter from below, the strange man heading toward him with an assortment of items in hand, while the other two took a seat and started eating breakfast. ¡°Morning dragon, you no longer sore from your trifecta?¡± He remarked with a smirk.


    The tan little man rolled his eyes with a groan. ¡°Morning Kesl, and I was only sore because of Allis''s stupid venom. I don''t even remember anything soon after being bitten, and to be honest I thought you were going to snap me in half when you said that woman was your niece.¡±


    Kesl let out a deep laugh. ¡°You''re not the first person that I''ve caught her in bed with.¡± His expression dropped into slight annoyance. ¡°And unfortunately, you''ll probably not be the last. Anyway, I assume you want to sell me something?¡± He finished, gesturing to the items Leo was holding.


    ¡°Yeah, basically I want to set up a magic stove top and oven for you, as well as sell you a few other useful items.¡± He responded as he laid the rune enchanted items out on the counter.


    The innkeeper raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Well the stove would definitely save on firewood, but it''s damn expensive. I tried to get the mage that did the showers to do it, and he wanted five gold. So I''ll tell you this now, I won''t go over three for anything.¡± He said stubbornly as he crossed his arms, because he hated how mages priced gouged the value of rune enchanted items, never taking a step back to see the actual value of their effort.


    The little mage grinned. ¡°Alright, I''ll take three gold, and to sweeten the deal for you, I''ll throw in all the items I have as well as improving any of your already enchanted systems. I also want to sell you a recipe for a tenth of the monthly profits.¡±


    Confusion warped his expression as the experienced negotiator was taken off guard, frowning at the offer. ¡°That¡­sounds way too generous¡­ You do know the point of bartering is to make as much coin for yourself, right?¡± He asked with a bit of concern, always enjoying a good deal but never desiring to take advantage of someone.


    Leo shrugged. ¡°I''m completely broke, so three gold is more than enough to get me more supplies for making more enchanted items, some of which I want to sell to you. So sweetening the pot now, makes any future deal more amenable, not that I particularly care since I control the product, and more sales just means more supplies for me to make and sell more things.¡±


    Kesl''s eyes went wide in surprise. ¡®Wait, he wants to simply make coin to snowball it into more coin. He knows that it doesn''t matter how low the price I offer him is, because the value for enchanted items is already expected to be worth full gold coins. So compared to the materials used to make it, he''ll be basically turning copper into gold. Holy shit, he actually understands¡­¡¯


    The old tradesman broke into a wide smile. ¡°You sly bastard, you''re actually thinking like a merchant and not some pompous bitch from the academy.¡±


    For some reason Leo¡¯s eyes grew a bit distant. ¡°Well, I''m essentially selling a service, and if I want to get the most value out of it, then I have to spread out the conten- er merchandise''s value over many items to entice buyers.¡±


    The large selarin couldn''t help but shake his head, still smiling. ¡°If you''re treating them as a commodity then this is probably going to be the most expensive purchase for me, because you''ll just push the value down to something more reasonable further down the line. It would also be stupid for me to turn down the first deal since it''s already a good offer, as well as the prospect of deals being alot cheaper in the future.¡±


    ¡°The goal is to make money from a variety of sources, and not everyone is going to be walking around with gold to spend, so why not push the value down. The number of customers will outweigh any high value deals.¡± Leo admitted casually, and the large selarin couldn''t help but grin at the fact that someone with magic actually knew how to sell.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°You have no idea how good it is to meet a mage that understands the value of things, much less one that can talk to another person like they''re worth a damn.¡± He let out another deep laugh.


    His new potential business partner grimaced. ¡°Comes with the territory of being self taught, no academy brainwashing¡­¡±


    That doused a bit of cold water onto the conversation, but all he could do was sigh and turn his attention to the items before him. ¡°If only so many people had the ability¡­ Anyway, you can work on the stove later tonight, for now show me what exactly is sweetening the deal.¡±


    The little mage showed him a few rune enchanted items, a hand held blender, an ice maker, a speed dryer for meat, cheese grater, and a timer that beeps. He also offered to enchant some cleaning supplies to remove dirt on contact, and he laughed, telling him that another mage would have charged a gold coin each for such a service. Despite taking a bite into the inn¡¯s reserves he decided to toss in two more gold, since all the extra things the small man offered was worth way more than the price he was paying.


    He continued to smile while he counted out the coin. ¡°Alright, you have a deal. Here''s half the payment now, and you''ll get the other half when you''ve done the stove. Also consider any room service free of charge during your stay, just ask me or one of my niece''s and we''ll send something down. But do me a favor and send them back up when they still need to work.¡± He finished with a sly grin.


    Leo sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Yeah, I will, thanks Kesl.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Now what''s this recipe you want to sell me?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Kesl sent Leo to the kitchen and told Vissa to give him whatever he needed to make the pizza. Vissa set out a space for him to cook, and some time later he was pulling a fully made cheese pizza out of the oven.


    Slicing it up he walked out to the big green giant and served him one, who seemed skeptical at first, but the slice was gone seconds after his first bite.


    Appearing both utterly surprised and disappointed when he realized he had finished it, the large lizard man peered down at him with a determination in his eye that set the little human¡¯s survival instincts on edge. ¡°I don''t care if you ask for half of the profits, so many people will pay for something this good.¡±


    He couldn''t hold back a laugh at the absurd reaction from such a physically intimidating man, over a slice of pizza no less. ¡°A tenth is fine, how else are you going to earn enough to buy more of my service?¡±


    Kesl smirked. ¡°Ha, conceding a deal now to make more profit later. You should talk with the local merchants guild, I have a sister that works there. You''ll fit right in.¡±


    ¡®A guild? I guess I could work out a deal for them to sell my items in bulk, as well as requisition materials to make more. I''ll focus on building up some small amount of wealth before going there. I probably want to have the money to back any large exchange''s.¡¯


    The little summon looked back up to his new big green friend. ¡°Thanks for the advice. I have a few more recipes in mind, but I want to see how well this one sells before sharing.¡± He told him with an assured tone, knowing that this would probably pull many new customers after word of it spreads through the town.


    Kesl licked his lips while wearing a greedy smile, partially tickling the human''s flight instinct. ¡°If they''re anything like this pizza then I can tell you that my inn might just become the town''s most popular place to eat, thanks to you.¡±


    The last word in the jovial man''s remark made Leo wince. ¡°That sounds wonderful and all, but could you keep it secret that I was the one who sold you the recipes? I already have the infamous title of dragon, I don''t need another.¡±


    Kesl raised an eyebrow with a bit of confusion. ¡°I''d ask why you''d want to remain anonymous, but everyone has their story so I won''t pry. What I will tell you is that fame and fortune are often inseparable, so you wont stay out of people''s notice forever.¡± He paused to glance over at the table where Elaria and Allis sat. ¡°Especially if you have something to protect.¡±


    It wasn''t difficult to take that bit of advice to heart. ¡°Thanks for understanding. See you later Kesl.¡± He gave a warm smile while departing from the bar with three slices of pizza, starting back toward Elaria and Allis while leaving the last two for Kesl''s nieces.


    The human placed a plate in front of them both and pulled up a chair to enjoy his slice, while both Elaria and Allis gave their slices a strange look.


    ¡°Um, is this the new food?¡± Elaria questioned cautiously while staring at the food item in front of her with a skeptical look.


    ¡°It looks¡­interesting¡­¡± Allis remarked  hesitantly as she frowned at hers.


    Knowing that this was literally a recipe from another world, he really couldn''t fault their reactions. But still, it''s just pizza. ¡°What''s the matter, summon food too much for you?¡± He mocked while taking a generous bite out of his own.


    The pair gave each other a questioning look before shrugging and picking up their slices to try. A shit eating grin crossed his face when both of their pizzas practically vanished soon after the first bite.


    ¡°Gods, that tasted amazing!¡± Allis beamed as she licked her lips.


    ¡°Is everything from your home so delicious?¡± Elaria questioned while sucking some of the sauce off her fingers, her tail swaying happily.


    ¡°We have countless types of food, but this one is one of the most popular. You can even add toppings to it, like small slices of meat, chopped vegetables, mushrooms and a few other things.¡±


    ¡°How about frui-¡± Allis was cut off before finishing that sentence.


    ¡°No.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 23

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    The trio exited the inn after finishing breakfast, but Leo stopped Elaria to bring her in close and whispered into her ear. ¡°So, I think it''s time I paid back my debts and then some.¡± He said while handing her a gold coin.


    Her amber eyes went wide as she looked down at the coin, completely speechless. It was one thing to talk about paying off her service to be free to spend her life with him, it was another feeling entirely to hold the key to it in her hand, and the gift literally brought a tear to her eye.


    ¡°Elari-A Mmmm?¡± He was cut off by her wrapping her arms around him, bringing him into a deep passionate kiss, and breaking away only to take a breath before continuing again.


    When she finally broke off, she leaned in to whisper into his ear while excessively pressing her cool scaled body against his. ¡°Well, I guess I owe you now, so I''ll make sure I begin paying you back, starting tonight.¡± She finished with a sultry tone while running her claw-like nails along the back of his neck, enjoying how she made him shudder.


    She could see that he was beet red after stepping back and eyeing him hungrily, causing her to giggle. ¡°But in all seriousness, thank you Leo. You have no idea what this means to me.¡±


    For her it meant that she was once again free, free to spend her life with a man that she believed she was falling in love with. She felt a slight tinge of guilt though, because at the beginning she knew to some extent that she was using him. Now though, she was becoming exceedingly attached, not wanting to be anywhere else but by his side.


    He broke into a warm smile that made her feel lighter, but she couldn''t place why. ¡°Well then, I guess you should go and make your leave of service more permanent.¡± He told her before giving her a peck on the cheek.


    She beamed, bringing him back into a tight hug while reflexively giving him a deep kiss, before turning to leave for the guard''s base. ¡°I''ll meet you at the back gate when you''re done at the market.¡± She told them as she started to leave the pair.


    The soon to be permanently former guard thought about the future as she practically skipped to her destination, as for the first time in her life she actually had one. She imagined the perfect life of living with him and a dozen other wives in a large manor on the countryside, and spending every night in bed together. Adopting a few children to raise, and even naming one after her sister.


    The thought of her sister caused her mind to halt on the topic. ¡®Crap! I need to tell her about Leo, not all the details though¡­ She''s the only one in the family that knows where I am, and I don''t want her to visit Telnar when I''m gone. Have to make her swear to not tell the rest of the family though, even if I missed some of them, I wouldn''t know what a few of the family heads would try and pull. They could be sadistically manipulative and down right vile in trying to acquire more power, and they have and are more than willing to use me to that end.¡¯ She thought grimly to herself as her lively pace slowed.


    ¡°It''s why I changed my name and joined the military after all.¡± She remarked coldly.


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo and Allis headed toward the back gate, after he submitted a few specific orders to the carpenter and blacksmith, as well as buying a box of handkerchiefs from the tailor.


    While the pair were heading toward their destination, he caught sight of Allis''s clinic out of the corner of his eye, and then turned to her with a questioning look. ¡°I know you''re helping me with magic today, but you haven''t been at the clinic for the past couple of days. Won''t you get into trouble or something?¡±


    Allis snorted as she stifled a laugh. ¡°Maybe if I wasn''t a mage, the most the local lords could tell me to do is start rationing supplies, they are paid for by the town after all.¡± She answered a little full of herself, and it took a second for her to catch the snide behavior.


    He cocked his head and realized something. ¡°Wait, so if you don''t supply your clinic, then it''s not yours is it?¡±


    The selarin healer nodded. ¡°Correct, it''s the town''s, but I am the only one that works there. So¡­¡± She shrugged.


    His expression turned a bit bitter from recalling some none too pleasant memories. ¡°So you share profits with the town when it comes to medicines, but what about your healing magic?¡± He asked a bit pointedly.


    Initially confused by his question, she appeared to struggle a bit before recalling their first meeting, then shrunk in on herself. ¡°Well, the pricing is up to me, and I get all the profits¡­¡± She responded with a little shame, while she seemed unable to look him in the eye.


    The earth born softened his gaze and sighed, pulling back some buried emotions that he had no right directing at Allis. ¡°Sorry about that. I know your head was in a bad place, and that you were just going with what was expected. It''s just that healthcare is a sore spot for me, I get a little heated when it comes to the topic.¡± He said while he sunk into a somber expression, his eyes growing distant.


    She seemed to take notice of his shift in mood, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°I''d be happy to listen, If you want to talk about it.¡±


    He broke out of his thoughts and looked up at her. ¡°No it''s¡­¡± He sighed, believing that getting it off his chest would be for the best, and it was also an old wound anyway. ¡°My grandfather, he was a handyman, he liked to learn to do anything and everything himself. He was a stubborn man, never giving up on a project until it was done, even though after a certain age he should have just left things to the professionals. He- tried to fix something that was very dangerous and¡­ He got hurt¡­ He was patched up at the hospital, recovering there for a few months, but his insu- he couldn''t cover the entire cost of the care.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that why you were upset by the over pricing?¡± She slumped a bit.


    Leo winced, knowing that he needed to finish the story for her to understand. ¡°Well, it''s what happened after that hurt the most. Much of the family chipped in to help, even though they had their own financial problems, and he didn''t take that situation well, especially when he could no longer do much of anything on his own on account of his injuries¡­ Many relatives visited him almost daily to try and comfort him, but I think he blamed himself for his situation. He just seemed to lose the will to live, and...¡± The words caught in his throat as he felt an unbearable tightness in his chest.


    Allis stopped, lowered herself, spun him around, and brought him into a tight hug. It was only then that he realized the tears that were starting to stream down his face at the memories, realizing that they did still feel a little fresh. They stayed like that for a moment before he broke the embrace, becoming slightly red as he remembered that they were out in public.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He gave her a warm smile as he composed himself, wiping away the tears with his scarf. ¡°Thanks, I think I needed that. And sorry for dumping that on you, it''s just that he was like a father to me, and how he spent his last few years really gets to me.¡±


    She gave him a comforting smile. ¡°I understand, it''s difficult to lose family.¡± She finished somberly.


    He mentally winced. ¡®Ah, fuck. Compared to what Allis went through, I might as well have described a vacation. Now I kinda feel like shit.¡¯


    ¡°Hey Allis, I really do appreciate you listening, so I''m here for you too if you want to get anything off your chest.¡± Leo offered with an honest care in his voice.


    Allis smiled softly as her hood perked up a bit. ¡°You''re very much welcome, and I think... I think it would be good for me to properly talk to someone, so I''ll take you up on the offer when we have some time alone.¡± She said while slithering closer to him, and they both traveled the rest of the way to the gate in peaceful, content silence.


    ¡­


    The pair were greeted by Elaria and Glia waiting on the other side of the gate. ¡°Afternoon you two, so how did-¡± He was cut off by Elaria slamming into him with a hug, causing him to chuckle from nearly falling backwards from the sudden embrace.


    ¡°I assume it went-¡± He was cut off again from her giving him a deep kiss, her tongue nearly snaking its way down his throat.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± He breathlessly remarked after she broke the kiss.


    She gazed into his dark brown eyes with a cheery mirth. ¡°I''m officially relieved of service, so I can take up my new position. With. You.¡± Her tone was playful while she pressed a little more sensually against him.


    A sly smile crossed his face at the all too eager selarin. ¡°So does that mean you wanna join us in the field while I practice?¡± He teased knowingly.


    That caused her to falter a bit and immediately break away to take a step back. ¡°Um, I think the physical distance can vary on occasion¡­¡± She remarked sheepishly.


    Leo stifled a laugh while he set down the box of handkerchiefs. ¡°Alright then, you wait here while Allis and I go play with fire.¡± He remarked with a sort of amused confidence.


    His magical instructor raised an eyebrow while giving him an apprehensive look. ¡°If I wasn''t your instructor, I would probably take a seat on the bench as well¡­¡± She sort of half joked.


    He rolled his eyes, as fire magic was probably not all that dangerous. ¡°Eh, I''m not planning on experimenting, so it should be safe.¡±


    ¡°Should be? What did you do while experimenting for it not to be?¡± She asked critically with her head tilted forward to study him.


    There was a lot to unpack there, making him become a bit sheepish as he recalled his first and only experimenting session. ¡°Well¡­ I learned how to wipe out an army with a pebble, and gained control over one of the fundamental building blocks of reality.¡±


    ¡°........?¡± The silent look she gave him held so much judgmental meaning.


    _________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis and Leo strolled out onto the field away from Glia and Elaria, who stayed back at the gate to watch from a safe distance. The pair of mages stopped when they were close enough to the forest''s edge to use them as targets if needed. ¡°So what would you like to learn?¡± She asked a little hesitantly, as she was still not sure what she could possibly teach an arch mage.


    He furrowed his brow as he scratched his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Hmm, I want to know how to manage my mana. Also Is there a way to measure mana? Determining my limits on that front has been damn near impossible¡­¡±


    She sighed a little irritably, realizing that it was like he read through an advanced spell casting book, but skipped the beginner''s introduction. ¡°Well you would have to figure out what mana is if you want to measure it, and that''s a question that every mage on the planet wants the answer to. It is written in every book that it''s either some kind of life energy or power granted by the gods, but no one knows enough to manipulate it to the extent of drawing it into the body, or even how to make its mysterious rune. You figure that out, and you''d be the most powerful mage to exist.¡±


    He laced his fingers behind his head as he took on an easygoing attitude. ¡°So let''s just start with the basics then. I''d like to learn from someone with experience to make sure I haven''t missed anything majorly important.¡±


    ¡®The basics huh¡­? I should make sure he''s casting correctly, well, as correctly as someone who doesn''t need words to cast.¡¯ She thought before crossing her arms. ¡°Okay then, show me how you spend your mana and cast a fireball.¡± She ordered, and he held out his hand as a ball of fire instantly appeared above it.


    The more experienced mage winced at the utter waste of mana. ¡°When casting a spell that involves things like fire it''s best to cast it small, then feed mana into the spell to grow it and better conserve mana. This applies to most spells actually, cast it small to save on an initial expenditure, since it''s easier and cheaper to feed mana into a spell.¡±


    The eyesore of a spell winked out, replaced by his overly smug smile. ¡°See, things that I might have missed, just treat me like I''m entirely new to magic. Because I am.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s kinda hard to do when you can fly and don''t even use words to cast¡­¡± She thought aloud irritably.


    The inexperienced archmage crossed his arms. ¡°It''s really not that hard-¡± He flinched from her incredulous glare, before continuing more diplomatically. ¡°Uh, the not casting words thing, not the flying.¡± He awkwardly broke eye contact.


    She narrowed her eyes, very irritated with trying to argue with someone who was both an expert and a novice. ¡°Care to share your infinite wisdom then?¡±


    He opened his mouth to explain, but completely blanked before saying. ¡°Just do it...¡± Making it sound almost like a question.


    ¡°Do you now see why It''s hard to treat you like a novice?¡± She rolled her eyes and sighed.


    He groaned, apparently just as unhappy with no clear starting point for her to teach him. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ So what other mana basics should I know?¡±


    ¡°Well that''s it mainly, since you already seem to have a complete mastery over your mana flow.¡± She shrugged, partially tempted to ask him to give her a few lesions instead, but knowing that would be a bad idea.


    ¡°Really, how can you tell?¡± He questioned curiously.


    ¡°Well you can make a rune in seconds that takes masters minutes, and how you flowed mana through your body to strengthen it is something that I''ve only read about. There''s really nothing I can tell you in regards to that.¡± She explained with a bit of an apologetic look.


    He sighed heavily before scratching the back of his head. ¡°This seems to have been a very short lesson.¡±


    She started to fiddle a little awkwardly with the scales on her hand. ¡°What should we do now? Because unfortunately, you already have all the knowledge to do things way beyond what I''m capable of. So there''s not much I can teach you besides a few tips.¡±


    A disappointed expression crossed the human''s features.


    Then he grinned. ¡°I guess it''s time to experiment then.¡±


    ¡®I think I should have stayed at the gate¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 24

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo contemplated what to experiment with next, trying to think of something that wouldn''t seem too destructively overpowered. So he figured that he should attempt something either defensive or for general utility.


    ¡°Hey Allis, how do you cast a mana shield?¡± He curiously asked while he molded around his mana.


    ¡°A simplified explanation would be that you direct your mana just outside of your body, and think of a dense material to form it.¡± She explained while giving a demonstration around her hand.


    The still freshly minted mage arched a brow at the thick, mostly translucent, gold tinted shield that covered her hand. ¡°Can I control the general shape of the shield, and does it have to be surrounding me?¡± He asked inquisitively, as he had a hopeful idea.


    She gave him a knowing smile and explained. ¡°Yes, and if you''re thinking of making weapons and shields, then you have to remember that you are using raw mana to do this, mana that you can''t pull back into your body and have to supply it with more when the construct is damaged.¡±


    A wide child-like grin split his face as the potential of what he could do was all but confirmed. ¡®Oh, I''m about to have another moment if I can do what I think I can do, but I have to test something first.¡¯


    He easily flowed out mana to create a baseball and a bat, then threw the ball up and swung at it to gauge the bat''s strength and the ball''s distance. It traveled for a bit before it blinked out of existence. He repeated the action again, but tried pulling the ball back into his hand with his mana before it reached the limit. It worked perfectly.


    ¡®Hmm, I seem to be able to control my constructs up until about forty feet, and the bat didn''t really suffer any damage. I also didn''t feel like I used any mana to pull the ball back, so let''s try something a little¡­bigger.¡¯


    Focusing on the image of a large pickup truck he pushed all his mana out to create the construct, feeling a large chunk of it get used as the vehicle came into existence.


    Allis¡¯s passive irritation at how easily he mastered mana constructs twisted into a jaw dropped shock. ¡°What in the hells is that, and how much mana did you just spend?!¡±


    He beamed at his creation and gave it a showmanship bow. ¡°This is the horseless carriage that I told you about, only in construct form. And I think I used a decent chunk of my mana, like taking a bite out of a plane sandwich.¡±


    Her eyes shifted between him and the construct. ¡°You may have an insane amount of mana¡­and I thought you said it needed something to fuel it, how is it going to move?¡±


    ¡°That little test I did with the balls told me two things. One, that my effective range for maintaining a construct is somewhere around forty feet. And two, all I have to do to move said construct is to push it with mana. I don''t even have to use up the mana, just use it to apply motion.¡± He explained while walking around the truck to better examine his handy work.


    She cocked her head. ¡°Huh, I would have never thought of using the shield for travel, in fact I don''t think anyone would have¡­¡± Her tone sounded genuinely impressed.


    ¡°Creativity and imagination Allis, it seems like most of the world is lacking in it.¡± He sighed pitifully before opening the truck''s hood, and what he saw could only be described as a flat panel that looked like textured machinery.


    ¡®Pretty sure that is not what the internals are supposed to look like...Hmm... I''m not a mechanic, so I think I made the equivalent of a life sized toy truck. Not that I need the internals, I just need the wheels to move.¡¯ He closed the hood and walked toward the driver''s side.


    She crossed her arms, apparently taking slight offence at him insulting their world. ¡°Well Einstein, can you think of other uses for it?¡±


    He was about to respond with a quip, but paused at what she called him. ¡°Wait, did you just call me Einstein? How do you know Einstein?¡± He questioned with utter confusion.


    ¡°No, I called you Magnus, Magnus Ironhilt. He was a genius dwarven inventor that created and discovered many things. I''m guessing that the necklace referred to someone else you know.¡± She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.


    His confusion dropped and he nodded. ¡°Yeah, but could you repeat the sentence again, because I just want to personally confirm something.¡±


    She obliged without complaint, seemingly aware of what exactly he wanted to test. ¡°Well Magnus, can you think of any other uses for it?¡±


    A few things began to click as he furrowed his brow. ¡®That confirms the translation fuckery going on with the necklaces. It supplemented the word with a similar meaning, until I got the specific word. The intent for its use was there, but none of the specifics. I wonder if that''s also a problem with mana as well¡­¡¯


    He entered the driver''s seat, gripped the steering wheel, and sighed. ¡°I''ll show you some other things after I''m done with this. Let''s see if this thing can move.¡±


    The experimentive human tried pushing the truck with his mana, and he felt it begin to drain as the construct slowly started to move. Sadly the vehicle didn''t respond to the steering wheel when he attempted to make a turn, eventually making him stop after traveling only a few dozen yards.


    He thumped his head on the steering wheel, remembering the one important detail. ¡°No internals¡­¡± He groaned.


    Allis quickly slithered up to him as he exited the large construct. ¡°That was incredible! With something like this you could transport quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sure, If you want to go in a straight line. Not to mention that I started to feel my mana drain, but I think it''s because I was riding in it. I assume any extra mass that''s not mana gets counted as exerting force, so energy needs to be expended. I wouldn''t try making something like this again, because I lack the knowledge of its internals, and it''s way too heavy with mana consumption compared to flying.¡± He explained casually, then let out a resigned breath.


    The serpentine selarin stared blankly at him like he said something truly unbelievable. ¡°What?!¡± He blurted out defensively.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°With what you just did and how you broke everything down so quickly, I still can''t believe that you are a peasant on your world¡­¡± She remarked in disbelief.


    ¡°Just because the quality of life and education improves across the board, doesn''t mean people suddenly stop struggling to survive. There are always new challenges, and difficult circumstances to overcome¡­¡± He remarked dejectedly with a shrug.


    ¡°That''s depressing¡­ Also, why are your constructs green?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel decided to check up on Leo after ferrying more selarins to the camp via a teleport trip. She was still feeling drained from her insane attempt to get everything ready in a single day, so she restricted herself to one teleport trip a day. While she was eavesdropping, her heightened sense making the task trivial, she learned that he befriended the town healer and made a deal with the innkeeper.


    She was astonished at how quickly he was progressing, and he seemed to have more than enough coin to leave the kingdom if he wanted. The idea of him leaving town so early nearly made her run back to camp to attempt more teleports, but she knew that being drained of mana for long periods could cause permanent and unpleasant side effects, so she resigned to just spy on him for the day.


    Following the trio out of the inn, she felt a tinge of jealousy when she glimpsed Elaria kissing him, as well as over hearing their whispers. ¡°I''m the one who summoned him¡­¡± She grumbled irritably, knowing that she was more annoyed by the fact that she was ordered to follow the plan and keep her distance.


    At least she was more or less assured that Elaria wouldn''t out him for any reason, instead that concern was momentarily directed toward the healer, Allis. Judging by a few off hand comments she managed to hear when his sound spell was down, it seemed like the selarin mage also knows that he''s a summon.


    Even though she hasn''t turned him in yet, and they seemed friendly, the fact that she''s a mage from an academy still gave her an uneasy feeling. But later in the day, as she overheard their conversation while they were leaving the market district, that feeling of mistrust subsided when Allis comforted him, and he offered to do the same.


    ¡®I''m going to have to pull the kill order on her then, because they seem way too invested in each other. Well that''s one problem that''s sort of peacefully dealt with, but damn it, it''s only been a few days and he''s already altered so much of the plan. Hopefully that won''t be a running theme once he''s brought into the fold.¡¯ In actuality she loved that she didn''t have to wait years for tangible progress, but wasn''t looking forward to Yez being constantly on her ass about it.


    When they exited the town, Fel snuck over the wall further down and quickly sped to the forest to watch from an optimal hiding spot. She was glad that this was only his second time openly practicing magic, and that this time she got to watch it from the start, unlike last time. Allis seemed to be helping him with his magic, or at least as much as she could try to help someone with such insane natural talent. And the lesson was as short as she expected, as he started to experiment with his magic. She also finally noticed that he didn''t need words to cast, something that she would have normally missed if she wasn''t paying more attention.


    ¡®Huh, he''s just messing around with shielding magic. Why is it green though? At least he''s not doing anything too-¡¯ The thought paused when he created a massive construct.


    ¡®Insane¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo spent the rest of the afternoon testing the potential uses for the magic he personally named lantern wizardry. He created tools, a small shelter, and tried to make a variety of small machines. Allis was shocked at the number of constructs that he was able to create, saying that his title of dragon might extend to his mana pool as well.


    After he began to feel like his body was tiring, he decided to call it a day and head back to the inn. He still needed to set up Kesl''s stove top and oven, as well as take a peek at the shower system before heading to bed. Elaria seemed to notice his fatigue, her posture drooping for obvious reasons.


    He mentally sighed, a little disappointed that he had to adhere to the age old saying business before pleasure. ¡®Unfortunately she''s going to have to wait another day to properly celebrate her new found freedom.¡¯


    After having some dinner, he went to the kitchen to finish his end of the deal with Kesl. He fixed four rune enchanted iron plates to the stove top, and one in the large oven. On the stove and oven themselves he started creating the controls. He wanted to go all out for his first real contracted bit of work, so he added two settings to the plates.


    One summoned fire like a gas stove, the other acted like an electric stove, and each plate had five levels of heat to set them at. He also created a safety feature, making it so that if no one was in the vicinity for the past hour, then the plates would automatically shut off.


    ¡®I''d hate to have my favorite inn burn down, even though most of it is made of stone.¡¯ He mused to himself just as he finished his work.


    He showed Kesl how to operate the controls, gave him written instructions, and carved in labels next to all the runes to make sure it was as easy as possible to use. The inn keep was speechless, because all he thought he would do was make his stove produce fire for free. The mini kaiju forced him to take two more gold coins for his work, not taking no for an answer.


    The wayward summon was deep in thought while he headed back to his room for the night. ¡®Fuck me... It felt like he was going to rip my head off if I didn''t take the extra gold¡­ I mean more money is always a good thing, but I''m pretty sure I could buy myself a small house now. I should go to the merchants guild tomorrow to sell my ¡®pleasure-chiefs¡¯, no that''s kind of a shit name, gonna need to workshop that¡­¡¯


    When he got to his room he saw only Elaria passed out on the bed, since Allis went home for the night. He decided that he wanted to take a shower before going to bed, as well as going over the runes that made it work. So before he hopped in, he pulled out a small book that Kesl lent him. The book had instructions and designs for the whole shower system, it was given to Kesl by the mage who made it for him.


    The first page of the book was pretty straight forward. ¡°Okay, the dial just contains the control runes, so there should be a compartment next to the base¡­ Ah!¡± He muttered to himself as he found the medium sized metal hatch.


    The unsuspecting human opened the compartment that contained the main runes for the shower, and was horrified at the scene before him. Somewhere around two hundred irregularly placed runes were scattered all over the inside, with a complete mess of glowing lines interconnecting them. His jaw dropped as he took in the utter chaos, before he began flipping to the translations for the runes.


    He was met with the mad scribblings of random sketches and unorganized diagrams.


    His expression gradually altered to show the growing migraine that was starting to form as he continued to skim over the book. ¡®Christ, no wonder Kesl needs this fixed every so often! I was curious as to why his shower needed any magical maintenance, since runes don''t get damaged by the environment and last as long as the material it''s on. Plus as long as the system is relatively simple, then the magic should always produce the same outcome¡­ But this¡­¡¯


    He placed his hands on one of the runes to feel out the interconnected lines of mana, and he reeled back from how many different connections there were.


    ¡®It''s like the worst cable management system found a way to fuck spaghetti code, just to produced this abomination!¡¯ He mentally shrieked.


    In just a cursory attempt to decipher the madness that was in the book, he could already tell that over ninety percent of the runes were either useless, unnecessary, or over complicated the entire system for no reason. Closing the book, he slammed the compartment shut and proceeded to begin taking a shower.


    ¡°That''s... That''s a problem for future me...¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 25

    ________________________________________


    Leo


    It was a lovely early morning as Leo and Elaria were having breakfast, but he was distracted by his new shower issue. He tapped his pencil against the table with his head tilted back and staring up at the ceiling like the answer was going to fall out of it.


    Blanks were all that his deep thoughts managed to draw up.


    Eventually he came to the obvious conclusion, his mind changing track to think of the most simplified system to create a magic shower, because he would rather pull out his teeth then try to fix that mess.


    Leo had a short talk with Kesl, and he seemed just as pissed when he told him how much of an unprofessional mess he paid for. Considering that a proper system should never need a mage to fix the runes, he pretty much got scammed at worst, or paid an overpriced novice at best, even if those differences are paper thin.


    ¡°Sorry about the wait, Kesl wanted to serve you two ales in our special glass mugs.¡± Tissa remarked and set down a pair of drinks on the table before scurrying off back to the kitchen.


    He looked down at the mug in front of him and considered drinking it. ¡®Normally I would give Elaria mine, as I don''t particularly like to drink, but I unfortunately keep thinking back to that cluster fuck of a system downstairs¡­¡¯ His dormant alcoholic started to whisper sweet nothings into his ear.


    ¡°Fuck it.¡± He muttered before grabbing the cold glass and chugging down.


    ¡®I definitely needed that, and it seems like Kesl is making good use of¡­the ice...¡¯ He stared at the mug, noticing the water form on the outside of the glass.


    A eureka moment hit the aspiring enchanter, his eyes going wide while his expression broke into a smile as a thought hit him. ¡®Condensation! I can just skip the rain cloud and floating water nonsense and create a thin layer of high humidity with a condensation rune on the ceiling, then just add a temperature setting. I have to probably work out a few more runes to adjust the rate of accumulation, but all together the system should probably take about twenty runes max.¡¯


    Elaria noticed him break out of his rut and smiled. ¡°Finally came up with something then? You''ve been in a mood since you woke up, even after my little snack in bed¡­¡± She finished while suggestively licking her lips.


    He let out an uncomfortable cough, aware she was teasing, but still not used to a woman being so forward in public. ¡°Yes, well, remind me to show you one of the compartments that I was tasked with cleaning up so you can understand why. But now I don''t have to do any of that, because I''m going to redo the entire thing.¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­ Now what''s the plan for today?¡± She asked while giving him a coy look.


    Leo sighed, as on the one hand he loved how eager she was, but on the other he felt like sex was the only thing on her mind. ¡°Sorry but you''ll have to wait till tonight or tomorrow for the main course, I have to do quite a bit today. I have to enchant all of the handkerchiefs, go to the merchants guild to sell them, pick up my orders from the blacksmith and carpenter, and draw up a new system for the shower.¡±


    His lover let out an audible tsk. ¡°Damn it, can''t some of that wait till tomorrow?¡± She complained.


    He rolled his eyes and decided to take a different approach. ¡°If I get a lot done today, then I have more time tomorrow. So let me remind you that on this world, I am more than the average man, or do you not want an entire day of fun?¡±


    The physically frustrated selarin seemed like she wanted to protest, but couldn''t find the words to do so. ¡°I can wait¡­¡± She remarked softly, drawing a chuckle from him before he went back to planning out designs.


    ¡­


    It was when he was in the middle of sketching out a few ideas for the shower when Allis entered the inn and slithered over to their table.


    After some exchanged greetings, Allis said she wouldn''t be joining them for today because she needed to hand in her resignation to the local lord, as well as wanting to go around town apologizing to the people she treated badly. The herbalist was chief among them, Allis having basically driven her out from working at the clinic. The repentant noble hoped that she could smooth things over enough with the herbalist so they would take back up at the clinic.


    Allis cocked her head as she watched Leo create small test runes. ¡°I know the meaning for a lot of runes, but I''ve noticed that nearly all the stuff you make are completely unknown to me.¡±


    Leo grinned at her remark, which confirmed a few things for him. ¡°Well that just means that no one can replicate them, even when I translate them into my book, which is convenient if I''m going to make magic weapons. People could steal them, but if it''s only like five untranslatable runes, then they are shit out of luck if they want to reproduce it. That''s the same for most of my creations actually.¡±


    Allis furrowed her brow while staring at his open book. ¡°I still don''t see how you are going to make something that will put a peasant on an even playing field with a mage, much less doing it with five runes.¡± She remarked skeptically.


    He gave her a strange look before he facepalmed. ¡°Right, I forgot to give you a demonstration yesterday. Remind me to show you how I made the pebble mightier than the sword.¡± His smile was met with confused stares.


    ¡®God I''m going to miss people who get my references¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    After breakfast, Allis left Elaria and Leo for the day. Much to his word, he spent a few hours enchanting all the handkerchiefs, and Elaria accompanied him to the merchant''s guild to sell them afterwards.


    She stared at the box he was carrying with a mild intrigue. ¡°So what are you going to try and sell them for?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking two or three gold each.¡± He answered so casually that her mind lagged for a moment, but her thoughts froze as she totaled the price of the seventy handkerchiefs in her head.


    Her eyes widened at the amount. ¡°A hundred forty to two hundred ten gold?!¡± She blurted aloud.


    He laughed and said something that tripped her up again. ¡°Actually, that''s me being pretty cheap.¡±


    She eyed him incredulously, believing that he might not understand the value of gold. ¡°The hell do you mean cheap? You can buy a sizable bit of land with that.¡±


    ¡°I talked to Kesl, and he said that the guild is one big web of interconnected markets that covers most of the continent. So consider for a moment who they are going to resell it to, once they buy it from me.¡± He explained with a smirk and tapped the lid on the box.


    ¡°The rich and powerful¡­¡± Elaria''s response trailed off, realizing that a few gold would be nothing for those people.


    He smiled slyly as they turned a corner. ¡°Exactly, and I wouldn''t be surprised if they try and sell them for twenty gold each. Plus no one will be able to replicate my work because of many of the unknown runes I use, so they have to come back to buy more from me. And when they do, I can negotiate a higher price. This first deal is to get the market hooked on the product, since later down the road I plan to bump the price up to ten gold.¡±


    The near broke and jobless selarin''s eyes went wide at the amount he was talking about. ¡®Holy shit! ¡­ If he started earning that much gold he''d be able to buy out a small territory. Fuck, he might actually get the funds to attempt his crazy revolution plan¡­¡¯ She thought in amazement, and also a bit of worry.


    ¡°So what exactly are you going to do with that much gold?¡± She asked curiously, but still wore a bit of a shocked expression.


    The human shrugged, taking the whole situation in stride. ¡°Work in progress. I''ll probably buy a large home in town, hire some house staff, and set up a workshop. Then earn enough gold until I can buy a manor and some land, then I can have the privacy for much larger projects. And from there¡­ Start working on a proper plan for the revolution.¡±


    Elaria was quiet the rest of the way to the merchant''s guild, considering for the first time how quickly summons helped kingdoms take over the world, and that Leo was essentially going to try and build up the wealth and power to match a kingdom. Unlike other summons though, he is doing it because of some personal principles, and doesn''t actually want to have a true empire.


    ¡®I really don''t like what I''ve gotten myself into, but I won''t let him go, not now, especially after what he did for me.¡¯ She resolved herself to stay with him, though she felt something other than just a debt that made her want to stay.


    When they entered the merchant''s guild they were greeted by a tall and deceptively young looking middle-aged selarin, whose chest was noticeably well endowed. Nearly seven feet tall, she had silver scales and white eyes, and a five foot tapered tail. The woman also had sexual appeal radiating off her to the point that even Elaria thought it was a bit ridiculous, though she found Leo''s momentary fixation a little amusing.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Greetings, and welcome to the Telnar merchant branch. My name is Kessa, how may I be of assistance today.¡± She greeted them warmly.


    Her partner smiled and stepped forward with an outstretched hand. ¡°Hello, my name is Leo and this is Elaria. I''m here to sell the guild a new product that will make them very wealthy.¡± He confidently introduced as they shook in greeting.


    Kessa''s face fell into a slight but hungry desire, her gaze seeming to pierce through him. ¡°Ah~ You must be the infamous dragon. I''ve heard some interesting things about you from the rumors, as well as my brother and daughters not shutting up about you.¡± She remarked while dropping into a sultry tone.


    Leo''s confidence visibly crumbled, his eyes wide with surprise. ¡°Uh, daughters?¡± He queried uncomfortably, and Elaria couldn''t help but snicker.


    Kessa''s eyes grew more hungry. ¡°Oh yes, they had a lot to say about you, especially Tissa¡­ And just to let you know, I''m single.¡± She told him while her uniform tightened, and she shot a glance at Elaria for some kind of permission, which was more than what most people did at the market.


    Even though Elaria had no problem with Leo sleeping with other women, she could now see why some men are so irritated when they get hit on. ¡®The constant advances toward Leo stoked my pride at first, but now it has just become annoying to watch, as it gets in the way constantly... Though this situation is still a little more than funny.¡¯ She thought in amusement, seeing that his gaze was fixed on the overly stimulating woman.


    She smirked while giving Kessa a nod, not that she needed it.


    The off-balanced and frustratingly reserved man quickly regained his composure. ¡°I appreciate the interest, but I''d like to put business before pleasure if you don''t mind.¡± He urged half heartedly as he struggled to keep eye contact.


    The obfuscating attitude reminded her of his initial hesitation with her. ¡®Hmph, he obviously wants her, go ahead and stare damn it.¡¯


    ¡°Of course, if you would just follow me.¡± Kessa said with a cheery tone, and she very purposefully swayed her hips seductively as they followed her to the back of the guild.


    Elaria once again noticed him trying, and failing, to keep his eyes off Kessa as they traversed the halls. He even shot her a look, as if asking if it was alright, which annoyed her more than it should have and ended up encouraging the behavior. ¡®This might become an issue¡­¡¯


    Kessa brought them to one of the private back rooms, it was small, with two couches facing each other that was separated by a low table. Shortly after they got comfortable, a woman with a slave collar entered with snacks and beverages. The guild representative thanked and dismissed the slave while they both took a cup to drink, but before Elaria could take a sip, she felt a familiarly cold wave pass over her. She snapped her head to Leo, who didn''t pick up his drink, and for just a second, he had that same look from when that selarin tried to take him at the inn.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She asked worriedly.


    Something obviously caused the sudden serious shift, but he waved her concern off and leaned forward while interlacing his fingers. ¡°I''m alright... Kessa, can I ask a few non related questions before we start? I''ve never dealt with the guild before, so I would just like to know a little bit about what...products it trades in...¡± He asked with little emotion, and an emptiness that chilled the mood of the room.


    The large and shapely woman seemed to notice his total shift in composure, and visually tensed as a result. ¡°Um, sure. We trade in a variety of products and services, from providing the best in tools, weapons and armor, to contracting professional craftsmen, artisans and slaves. We als-¡±


    ¡°Slaves, how exactly does the guild operate when it comes to that trade?¡± He interrupted with an icy chill to his voice, his expression was dark with narrowed eyes.


    Elaria had never seen him like this and felt as though she should stay out of this particular conversation, opting to just watch while she sipped from her cup and munched on the snacks as they talked.


    The silver scaled selarin appeared to realize something, and noticeably changed her posture, dropping all of her sexually provocative actions as fast as he slid into his chilling mood. ¡°We at the merchants guild pride ourselves on the most ethical acquisition and detainment of enslaved persons. We also provide the best in treatment for men and non criminal individuals. Our prices also reflect the worth and responsibility associated with caring for another sapient being.¡± She said in a neutral tone, almost as if she was reading off of a script.


    Elaria noticed the trades woman''s lips curl ever so slightly into a frown, as if she didn''t like anything that she was saying. ¡®Personal opinion, actual treatment, and policy rarely work well with one another. That''s why my family has rules...¡¯


    Leo''s eyes narrowed a little more before he sat back up. ¡°Thank you for humoring my questions, it was very enlightening.¡± He remarked with no emotion, and went on to explain and demonstrate his product.


    He put emphasis on the fact that his product couldn''t be replicated by another mage, which prompted Kessa to call down a two requirement novice working there to verify his claims. The mage tried to ask the meaning of some of the runes, resulting in a scolding from the negotiator, because then it wouldn''t be much of a secret.


    To everyone''s surprise though, he immediately told her the words for each one. ¡°Oscillation, frequency, acceleration, fluctuation, and amplitude.¡± He told her in his own language, the translation necklace somewhat garbling the words from being unable to filter it into anything familiar.


    The guild''s mage looked utterly confused. ¡°Um, what do some of those words mean?¡± She asked.


    The inconspicuous summon smirked, but it was devoid of mirth. ¡°Now that would allow you to recreate it. So it''ll stay my little secret.¡± He turned back to Kessa. ¡°Since the validity of my claims are more or less confirmed, can we discuss payment?¡±


    ¡°Right, we would like to offer you five gold coins for each item.¡± Kessa offered with a traders edge.


    ¡®That''s three hundred and fifty gold! ... but knowing Leo he would want to bump dow-¡¯


    ¡°Ten.¡±


    Both selarins went wide-eyed at the human as silence hung in the air for a few moments, Elaria''s mind reeling from the counter offer. ¡®What the fuck?!¡¯


    Kessa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Apologies sir, but that price is way too high for such a small product. We won''t be able to market it to anyone while still maintaining a reasonable profit.¡± She remarked a little condescendingly, probably to illustrate the absurdity of the price.


    ¡®Exactly, even if he was right about them reselling it for twenty gold, why would they give up half the profits up front?¡¯


    Leo raised an eyebrow, frowned, and looked slightly offended. ¡°Sorry for being blunt, but are you insulting my intelligence? All you would have to really do is hand out four or five of these for free to the most chatty and influential of your clientele, have them brag about paying thirty or even forty gold to acquire such a luxurious item, then the most wealthy individuals from across the continent will gladly pay to get their hands on one. That''s not even to mention when the scarcity hits as you start to run out. You should be able to hike the price up to even eighty gold when three or four of them are left.¡± He explained with a much sharper edge than his opponent''s cutting words.


    A tense air hung between the two as they seemed to peer into each other with a cold calculating gaze, but then the tension was soon broken by Kessa.


    A wide, almost comically large, smile spread across Kessa''s face. ¡°Fucking hell, Kesl wasn''t kidding when he said you knew your stuff, but I think he forgot to mention how brutal you could be in negotiating. Actually, I can''t even call that a proper negotiation, you pretty much executed any attempt I could make to lower the price at the very start.¡± She remarked between amused laughs while her ample chest bounced in rhythm.


    Elaria was baffled, the mood of the room pulled out from under her. ¡®Wait what just happened¡­?¡¯


    A sly and genuine smile crossed Leo''s face. ¡°Yeah, well, I originally planned to sell for three a piece, to get the guild hooked, then negotiate from a position of power when your very wealthy clientele come knocking. But then I was reminded of certain abuses, and decided that such initial charity wasn''t worth my time. I''m glad you didn''t take it personally, and sorry if I was being a little intense or offended you. It was all mainly directed toward the guild itself.¡± He said with a genuine sincerity and friendly tone that was the total opposite of his earlier behavior.


    Elaria''s thoughts became even more of a mess. ¡®Charity?! You would have still walked away with two hundred ten¡­ Wait, now it''s seven hundred! Not even the family coffers made it past five hundred!¡¯


    Kessa hung her head and sighed. ¡°Yeah I get it, you''re from the north right? Slavery''s outlawed in the beast clans, along with most of the far northern territories, so it''s no surprise that you''d dislike the guild.¡± She started to sound distant. ¡°Even though I make sure this branch treats the slaves here like people, it''s a rare sentiment that others don''t share, especially when nearly all of them were branded criminals for one reason or another.¡±


    At this point Elaria''s mind was lagging behind the conversation. ¡®...Is he really going to get seven hundred gold?!¡¯


    Leo rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I noticed that your gratitude toward the slave that entered was genuine, and that you disliked having to recite that obvious speal about the guild treating slaves well, but then why not release them?¡±


    Kessa groaned and crossed her arms underneath her breasts, making them unintentionally pop provocatively. ¡°One, they are technically owned by the guild, not me, so doing so would be considered stealing from the guild. Two, even though I want to free them, I would need to find a powerful mage to break the slave collars. And finally, even if they find a way to escape, they would just be hunted down by slavers again.¡± She answered with a bit of sorrow.


    He sighed and leaned back into the couch. ¡°Figures¡­ Anyway, I hope that I wasn''t too unreasonable, It is still my first time dealing with the guild.¡±


    Kessa also relaxed a fair bit, now slipping back into her more salacious persona. ¡°That''s alright, in fact with the way you handled yourself, I would never have believed you were a mage. Hell I still don''t think I quite believe it.¡± She remarked with a honeyed voice and leered over him with a returning hunger.


    ¡°Float.¡± He said aloud, and the box full of rune enchanted handkerchiefs floated over to Kessa.


    Elaria finally started paying attention when Leo cast a spell. ¡®Oh, he remembered to say something. Wouldn''t want another Allis incident, even though we got very lucky with her in the end¡­ Seven hundred...¡¯ Then her thoughts drifted back to the amount of gold.


    Kessa arched a brow at the display. ¡°Damn, seeing is believing I guess.¡± She remarked while grabbing the box out of the air.


    Leo chuckled and held out a hand. ¡°So, we have a deal then.¡±


    ¡®For seven hundred gold!¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 26

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Beyond ecstatic would be the best descriptor for Leo''s current mood, because he was about to close a very profitable trade deal and was only waiting for the binding contract to be drawn up. He was wondering what to actually spend that much gold on, since spending it sooner rather than later is a lot safer than walking around with tens of millions in his wallet.


    ''Actually, maybe it''s in the hundreds of millions... Wait, how much did I even make? Fuck, I don''t even know what the proper cost of things are, yet I''m dealing with such a large amount of wealth that it''s getting hard to even ballpark the value¡­ Which is a big problem, because even if I''m a mage, there would be some dumb ass who would try to yoink my shit. I should probably find someone to buy property from, there shoul-'' He mentally facepalmed, because he was already in the place that most likely sold homes and land.


    ¡°Kessa, does the guild have any properties for sale?¡± He asked the voluptuous woman, who had not taken her eyes off of him for a while now, while he was also struggling to keep his own from wandering.


    The voluptuous guild rep snapped out of whatever thoughts she was having, her breathing noticeably slowed down. ¡°Ah, I was about to suggest you buy something, since staying at an inn with that much gold isn''t the wisest thing to do.¡± She remarked aloud, and a few moments later a slave entered with a small stack of papers.


    He raised an eyebrow, as there was no prompt for them to get anything. ¡°Uhh, you haven''t moved from the room this entire time, how did she know to get those?¡±


    ¡°Collar, basic ones have tracking and punishment systems, but hers is specifically for her job. It has an enchantment that lets her listen in on the conversation of whoever has this.¡± She answered while holding up her wrist right in front of her chest, showing off her rune enchanted bracelet, among other things.


    He scrunched his face in confusion while his eyes slightly struggled to keep on target. ¡°That seems like a security risk waiting to happen¡­¡±


    She took a sip of her drink, licking her lips sensually before responding. ¡°It''s entirely for the guild''s protection. She''s basically this branch''s accountant, and even though she''s a slave, she''s nearly in charge of the whole branch. Actually, most free people often beg for the position if it''s vacant. She''s paid well, owns a personal home, and has her own slave. As long as she is prioritizing the guild''s profits and growth above all, she can do whatever she wants. The collar just has a load of enchantments, a compulsory need to tell the truth to guild seniors, improved memory, little need for sleep, and I''ve even heard rumors about an emergency teleport.¡±


    That''s the kind of oversight that would make any corporate titan salivate over, and he couldn''t help but grimace at the thought of what some of the ones back home would do. ¡°I guess it would make sense to closely protect and manage the person who oversees and document''s the transactions. Don''t want any of the guild''s money to go unaccounted for.¡±


    The silver scaled selarin sighed sadly, her gaze growing distant for only a moment. ¡°That''s right. Also this branch only has about two hundred gold. We can spare you a hundred gold, but we will have to submit a request for the rest of your payment. If you''d like to discuss buying a home, then we can add it to the contract and subtract it from the payment. But it would take time to review all the properties, and I would imagine that you want to walk out of here today with some kind of deal.¡± She finished while slipping back into her sexually provocative tone.


    He leaned back and closed his eyes to think about what he wanted out of a home, while also to prevent them from continuing to wander in front of someone he''s intimate with. ¡®I have a seven hundred gold budget, so I could probably buy¡­anything really... I''d want a place that''s secluded, and about three or four stories to house the staff and security. Actually, I should have separate buildings. So two mansions? Fuck, that''s excessive. I have the gold though, I could build- wait, shit they build down! As interesting as selarin architecture is, it''s literally just a hole in the ground... Nah, I''d like something that looks a little more¡­not that.¡¯ His thoughts concluded before he explained what he was looking for in a home, and Kessa separated nearly all the papers she had to the side.


    She frowned as she looked over the few sheets of paper on the table. ¡°If you want construction like that, then I would suggest buying fresh land to build. Everything we have is of selarin design, but we can contract an architect from another race to build your home. With how you describe your tastes, I would recommend hiring a tiefling. As for seclusion, a swath of land in the forest would be your best bet. We have a few locations in the forest on the east side of Telnar, but then you would have to build a fresh road. There''s another property for sale that''s in a forest a little to the north west, it has an overgrown trail that connects the main road to an old depleted mine, but the land is a lot closer to the elven border.¡±


    ¡®So. My options are total seclusion, which would be advantageous early on. Or, risk early privacy by being connected to a well traveled trade route. Hmm, it might actually be worth the risk, since when I''m no longer hiding I would want to have easy trade access¡­ Yeah, I guess I should invest in the future, I don''t want to end up regretting it later.¡¯


    He tapped the paper that described the northwestern property. ¡°I''ll take the overgrown path, and I assume the mine is included?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it doesn''t affect the price since it''s written off as being completely drained, and the entire property spans two thousand acres, nearly all of it covered in forest.¡± She pointed out whilst picking up the sheet.


    ¡®Wait, if I remember correctly, one mile is six hundred forty acres¡­ That''s a little over three square miles!¡¯ His jaw dropped at the sheer amount of land.


    He noticed the sly smile that the more experienced tradeswoman was giving him, and he quickly regained his composure to not be caught on the back foot. ¡°How much is it for? I don''t imagine that it''s cheap.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, the price is well below average in terms of only land, since it''s nearly all rough forest terrain. It''s priced at only two hundred fifty gold, because the buyer will more than likely contact the guild to clear land and do construction.¡± She explained while the accountant from earlier entered to give her a book, handing her the sheet for his choice in return.


    She opened the book and flipped through it before stopping on a page to show him, which appeared covered in diagrams of buildings in a gothic style that was apparently tiefling architecture.


    ¡®That''s¡­ Now I kinda want to live near the tieflings¡­¡¯ He thought with a slight disappointment, because he really liked that kind of style in video games.


    The thought absorbed human glanced up from the book and got an eye full of cleavage, because Kessa was leaning closely over him, resulting in him gracefully stumbling back onto the couch. He could even hear Elaria trying to suppress her amusement at his expense.


    ¡°Yes, uh, well, this is more or less what I want.¡± He paused to calm down, whilst the walking set of curves sat back down with a calm and sly smile. ¡°What would be the estimated cost for constructing, say, a three story mansion with about a hundred rooms of varying size and uses. That number includes utilities, like restrooms, kitchens, gathering spaces, and so on.¡±


    Those figures appeared to throw her off balance, the silver scaled selarin arching a brow before sharpening her focus once again. ¡°That would be a very large construction effort, so I put the project as a whole at four hundred fifty. We would have to scout a location, get people out there to clear the land, transport the materials to build it, and pay everyone involved in its construction.¡± She explained with the experience of a negotiator.


    He contemplated how to lower the price for a moment before suggesting. ¡°Hmm, how much would I save if I scouted and cleared the land myself, and have three buildings of twenty five rooms total? As well as personally transporting materials from the road up to the construction site.¡± Elaria nudged him with her elbow, causing him to notice that she looked a little concerned by what he proposed. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡®What? I could do it all my- Oh shit, I can''t explain how I''m gonna do that¡­¡¯ He realized a tad too late.


    Warranted too, since Kessa raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you could do all that, then the price should drop to a little under three hundred.¡±


    ¡®Safe! Lets try and get this deal over with as quickly as possible so I don''t slip up.¡¯ He continued to maintain his poker face and smiled as he clasped his hands together.


    ¡°Okay then. Write all of that into our contract, it should deduct about five hundred fifty from the original payment.¡± He said with a bit of a rush to redirect the topic.


    That evidently disappointed the seductress, who was now crossing her arms and looked as if she stepped in something she didn''t like. ¡°Don''t you want to separate the construction order, so you can go over the plans and pick out what designs you want? Because it''s going to take a couple of days for the architect to get here, and a few more to scout a suitable area to build.¡± She remarked a little suspiciously.


    He became a little impatient, wanting to simply close the deal and leave. ¡°Nope, just send the architect my way when they get here, and as far as designing goes, she can draw up something while she''s traveling. I''m not fussed by how it looks all that much, as long as it''s in this style. Tell her to assume that it''s all clear flat land, and that she has free reign with design, but I do want two of them to be geared toward a specific function.¡±


    Kessa seemed a little exasperated. ¡°I understand that you want your new home done as quickly as possible, but this seems a little ridiculous. Unless you''re an arch mage, I don''t see how your-¡± She paused, and gave both him and Elaria a once over.


    Leo glanced at Elaria, who was now fidgeting slightly while sinking into her seat with her tail twitching this way and that. ¡®Oh god please not again¡­¡¯


    Kessas eyes went wide, and the air between them tensed. ¡°Wait, clear the land and Scout the whole area yourself? You''d at least need flight and terra magic to do all that in such a short time frame by yourself¡­¡±


    ¡®I¡¯d like to have one conversation where my casual use or mention of my magic doesn''t out me. Though it was my fault for tunnel visioning when trying to lower the cost...¡¯ He groaned irritably with a little self annoyance.


    The semi-outed summon sighed and moved his hands up defensively. ¡°Okay, if you would please calm down for just a-¡± He was interrupted by Kessa bowing so deeply that she hit her head on the table in front of her.


    ¡°Moment¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Kessa


    Confidence, cunning, and intelligence. These are the things that Kessa considered highly of herself.


    Now though? She felt all three of those flip to their exact opposite while she was rubbing her nose. The unfortunate revelation of what he was caused her emotions to whiplash and made her react in the dumbest way possible.


    It was going so well too, as she was becoming very aroused from talking with a man who knew how to handle himself in a trade negotiation, as well as being irresistibly adorable to tease.


    The arch mage calmed her as quickly as he could while explaining that he only recently became one, and was not connected to any political powers.


    Being very knowledgeable in regards to the political and economic powers that be, she was more than skeptical of those claims, but it did let her ease out of her panic while she contemplated the situation more thoroughly. ¡®One doesn''t just become an arch mage on their own with no academy or royal backing, so he''s definitely lying and is hiding for some reason. I know that the beast clans and a few northern territories have arch mages, but information on them is scarce, because the guild doesn''t fully operate that far north.¡¯


    ¡°Um, if you could do me a favor and keep the fact that I''m, that, a secret. I really don''t want the attention right now¡­¡± He sheepishly asked.


    She blankly stared at him for a moment while raising up her bracelet. ¡®It''s a little late for that... I''d imagine the accountant is going to the communication orb right now to tell the higher ups¡­¡¯


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± He cursed before palming his face into his hands.


    The older woman sighed, pitying his situation just a little bit from a few similar situations she and her brother found themselves in. ¡°If you wanted to stay hidden, then you should have not dealt with the guild.¡± She muttered to herself, just loud enough for him to hear.


    The previously distraught man snapped his eyes up at her, and a crooked smile slowly crossed his face. ¡°Well If this branch can''t respect client confidentiality, then I''ll have to take my business and enchanted items to another branch to sell. Maybe even another kingdom, one with very little guild influence, so that I may still maintain my privacy. I''m sure that there are other markets to sell to besides the guild. It''s just too bad you guys have to lose out on acquiring such a profitable trade partner for the guild.¡± He remarked loudly and dramatically.


    A few moments later, the accountant barged into the room and threw herself on the floor, begging Leo to not leave as she tried making all kinds of promises, including keeping him secret from guild leadership.


    Kessa looked utterly shocked as she analyzed the situation, again. ¡®If she obeyed the enchantments and told her superiors, then she''d lose out on the biggest deal for this branch, and potentially even larger deals for the guild as a whole if he chose to avoid trading with them all together. If that happened then she''d be solely to blame for losing such a large client. So she has to keep the secret for the good of the guild and its profits, but what about the truth enchantment?¡¯


    An amused smirk crossed his face, the type that showed that they were in complete control of the situation, and it made Kessa a little more than aroused. ¡°I would love to work with you, but aren''t you forced to tell the truth to your bosses? I simply can''t trust that you would keep it secret, even under contract.¡±


    The accountant sat up from her groveling. ¡°There are exceptions! If it''s directly for the benefit of the guild, then I can enact a disclosure lock on the collar. It prevents me from attempting to share any information requested by the second party, and works much like a binding contract. It''s built into the collar!¡±


    Kessa''s gaze fixed on the clever little northerner with utter disbelief. ¡®Gods¡­ He maneuvered her into keeping his secret and found a loophole in the truth collar¡­¡¯ Her breathing quickened.


    He put on an exaggerated show of considering her words, but Kessa knew that he had managed to get all he wanted out of the exchange. ¡°Alright then, but I also want everyone here in the branch to sign a non-disclosure agreem-er contract on the details of what I am, and only being able to share said information with my express permission, plus I keep said contract.¡±


    The accountant agreed immediately, and ran out of the room to get the mage to draw up the contract.


    Kessa noticed her breathing was a little labored, while she shifted her legs together uncomfortably. His constant display of the three things she most valued in herself may have stimulated her a little too much, and she was struggling to suppress her urges out of professional necessity.


    Leo was brimming with confidence as he shifted his attention back to her. ¡°I think that went well, don''t you?¡± He said with a triumphant smile.


    Kessa snapped out of her small daze. ¡°Uhh, yes... I assume you want to finish discussing the details of our deal then...¡± She responded while looking a bit flustered.


    ¡°Oh most certainly, but¡­ You seem to have spilled something...¡± He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.


    The overly stimulated woman furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°I didn''t¡­¡± She trailed off as she looked down.


    ¡®Oh...¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 27

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Impressed doesn''t begin to describe what Elaria felt as Leo, yet again, flipped a near worst case scenario on its head. How someone could do it with so little effort, and maintain such a confident air afterwards, is astonishing. She couldn''t help but notice that Kessa was also very impressed by his display for another


    reason, because she realized that the spill wasn''t from the drink when she sat up to leave for a quick change of clothes. He also seemed to notice, but he kept giving her an awkward look.


    ¡®I might have to have a genuine talk with him about him wanting some kind of confirmation¡­¡¯ She thought irritably, because it was like a grown adult asking permission to drink.


    When Kessa returned, Elaria could do nothing but watch as Leo continued to work a property and construction deal into the contract, and the accountant entered every so often to assist with the details and pricing.


    The accountant was skittish when he spoke to her directly, which seemed to amuse him at first, but his expression quickly grew solemn in his interactions, even pained at some points.


    Elaria mentally sighed. ¡®Even if her position comes with many benefits, I doubt that the people in charge see her differently than any other slave, and costing the guild a major deal wouldn''t go unpunished. I bet she''s terrified that she might somehow lose him as a trade partner if she says the wrong thing. A collar is still a collar¡­¡¯ She thought sadly while feeling something vaguely muted within her.


    After a few more hours of negotiating, chatting, and waiting, the accountant entered the room carrying a few items. A nondisclosure contract, the main contract for his enchanted items, and one hundred gold.


    He took another hour reviewing both the contracts, then gave the accountant a nod and signed them. The accountant instructed him on how to enact the disclosure lock on the collar, and went on to demonstrate the lock by attempting to say that he was an arch mage. Lightning arced out from the collar and shocked the accountant, and the pain of it sent her onto her knees.


    The two other selarin in the room winced, but were otherwise unfazed.


    The human on the other hand was utterly horrified and rushed to her side. ¡°Fucking kry-st! You could have just told me it did that!¡± He said while healing some of the burns around her collar.


    ¡°Hold on¡­ I still need to show that I am... unable to write the information¡­¡± The accountant said while trying to get her breathing under control.


    Leo tried to talk her out of doing that, desperate even as he snatched away the paper, but she was determined. She told him that it was needed to finish its bind on the lock, so she had to do it. He turned to Kessa with a plea written across his face, but she just looked away. So he stepped back with a pained expression as the accountant tried to write down the information, only to be shocked yet again. This time not even her knees could hold her up as she fell onto the floor, eyes glazed over from the pain.


    Again he immediately rushed over to heal the burns caused by the collar, then he and Kessa helped her onto the couch.


    Elaria noticed that he was holding back tears, as if he went through what the accountant did. And it was in that moment, for the first time, she understood why he was so determined to change the world.


    ¡®It''s not just compassion, he feels their pain¡­ Not in the literal sense, but he can empathize so strongly that it causes him to feel as if he was hurt¡­ That''s why he can''t stand all the abuse by nobility, that''s why he gets that cold aggressive look when he sees someone he wants to help but can''t, why he keeps looking for confirmation from me, and why¡­he helped me in the woods¡­¡¯ She realized as she stared at him with a deep worry, all while her paper house of a fantasy slowly fell apart.


    She wondered if it was because he was human, or if it was just the product of him growing up on such a prosperous world, but she knew that such a trait would end up getting him killed sooner or later, whether by crossing the wrong people or sacrificing himself for someone else.


    ¡®Compassion dulls the sword, stunts your growth, and puts you and your objective at risk¡­ But it can be a wonderful tool.¡¯ The memory was distant, but the words echoed with a weight that almost had her trembling.


    He and anyone following him was essentially on borrowed time. So why wasn''t she afraid, and why wasn''t she abandoning him at this very moment? She''s free from the military, free from her family, free to leave whenever she wants. Free to get away from someone who''s a quick death waiting to happen. So why?


    Leo looked into the accountant''s eyes with a deep sadness. ¡°I''m sorry, I didn''t know that that was what prevented you from telling other people, much less that you had to go through it twice for it to bind¡­¡± He said as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.


    The accountant looked disbelievingly into his eyes for a moment, then her apprehension subsided, visibly relaxing while her eyes softened. ¡°I-it''s alright, it comes with the job, just another small sacrifice for the guild.¡± She said as she broke eye contact.


    A slight pain crossed over his eyes, an internal conflict evident as he looked as if he was wrestling with a decision. After a few moments of silence in the room he spoke. ¡°What''s your name? I''ve been dismissive of you this entire time, and I apologize for that.¡±


    She turned to him again, looking like she was trying to find something that wasn''t there. ¡°Slessi.¡± She finally answered.


    He gave her a warm smile. ¡°Well Slessi, you don''t ever have to worry about me not making more deals with your branch. Given certain personal revelations, I will be continuing my work with you. So please, relax.¡±


    Slessi looked as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said with distant eyes.


    Elaria was just watching, unable to bring herself to speak. She glanced to Kessa, and she looked just as speechless, but there was a deep sadness in her eyes as well. Turning back to the two, Elaria''s eyes widened in surprise, as Leo pulled Slessi into a hug.


    A moment of shock crossed the accountant''s face, right before she returned his gesture and started to break down, sobbing heavily into his shoulder.


    Elaria then realized why she didn''t leave, even though it looked almost certain that he''d end up dead, dragging everyone involved with him, but she couldn''t specifically describe it.


    ¡®This feeling, was it actually love?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo felt a cold, silent rage overtake him as he held Slessi. He was angry, angry at the guild for using slaves, angry at the governments for allowing such a practice, angry at this fucked up world and it''s abuses, and angry at himself for not atomizing the collar around her neck. Especially after he noticed a variety of older scars arcing out from the collar, confirming that this wasn''t the first time she was subjected to that torture.


    If he knew about what would happen, hell if he even backed up his arrogance to think for a moment, he would have realized that he essentially threatened her life. A life that predicated on keeping her enslaved to people that wouldn''t give a rats ass about killing her if she turned out to be a problem. She may have agreed to it, but that was more likely a matter of circumstance, because who in their right mind would trade their freedom away if it wasn''t?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡®A gilded cage is still a cage¡­¡¯


    He thought about it, and was really struggling to not just free her then and there. But then what? What would that accomplish? She would just be replaced by another willing and eager person whose life is worse than enslavement, the benefits of the position enticing anyone already on a lower rung.


    The choice hurt- No it was down right agonizing, and it was a choice that he was knowingly making for her sake as much as his. ¡®No, if I want to help her, and others like her, then I should continue trading with the guild. At least until I build up enough wealth and connections to either take control of their market, or drain them for all they have.¡¯ It was probably one of the most cold, calculating, and logical decisions he had ever had to make, but he swore that he¡¯d make it up to Slessi and free her when all was said and done.


    After Slessi regained her composure, she handed over the gold and told them that they would receive the rest when the architect arrived with the resupply from another branch in the tiefling kingdoms.


    ''Saving money on a single trip huh? Smart. Also, did she say kingdoms, as in plural? Damn I''m going to need to really read up on the geopolitics of this world. At first I thought that this world was more or less grouped into, and ruled by, their respective races. Now though, it''s like I''m in a nightmare of a first person paradox game¡­¡¯


    ¡°Just one more headache...¡±


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    After Leo was done with his business at the merchants guild, Elaria told him that she wanted to speak with Kessa in private, so he said that he would be waiting for her just outside the guild.


    Once he was gone she turned to the older selarin. ¡°Can I ask you something personal?¡± She requested while she took a seat next to her on the couch, and was silent for a moment before asking. ¡°What is love?¡± Believing that someone who was older and more experienced might know.


    Kessa was visibly taken aback. ¡°Elaria, I don''t mean to be rude, but that''s not much of a personal question.¡± Pausing, she took a moment to consider her words. ¡°The meaning and depth varies from person to person, and sometimes words could never truly describe the feelings for another. If I had to put it into words, the closest definition would be to feel so emotionally connected to another person that you would want to do anything to see them happy, safe, and...well...cared for. But even that definition would be considered shallow to most.¡±


    Elaria furrowed her brow. ¡®I do want to see Leo happy and safe, but have I ever cared for him? I''ve only thought about what I got out of the relationship¡­¡¯ She thought grimly, abruptly disliking where that trail of thought would lead her.


    ¡°What would you call what Leo did for Slessi? Was that feeling as deep as love?¡± She inquired further, unsure what caring that much felt like.


    Leo didn''t even know that Slessi existed before today, much less cared about their situation. So maybe that compassion was close if not similar?


    The large selarin narrowed her eyes at her for a moment, but the searching gaze softened and her face filled with concern. ¡°Have you never comforted another person like that before, or have ever been comforted like that?¡± There was a pitying tone in there that annoyed the smaller woman.


    Elaria recalled a few situations with her sister. ¡®I guess¡­ Sairiss would always hold me like that when I had any episodes, but that was just to calm me right? It felt good, but I''ve never felt anything more than that¡­¡¯


    She contemplated on her emotions and frowned at some part that she seemed to be missing, something just out of her reach, almost drifting away even. ¡°My sister held me like that, but I didn''t feel anything more than relief.¡±


    Kessa looked genuinely worried now, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder with a look of pity. ¡°Do you understand the reason for why he did that, why he pulled her into that hug, and why Slessi cried?¡±


    Elaria tried to think of the reason past the obvious, but was drawing up a blank. ¡®I know that the reason felt deep, but I don''t know anything beyond that, and that''s why I''m asking about this in the first place.¡¯ She thought with a little frustration.


    ¡°He empathized with her right, because she was in pain?¡± Elaria answered blankly, not knowing what else to call it.


    ¡®He is kind, too much so, and that is what is in direct conflict with my years of-¡¯ She shook off that thought before it started to form.


    Kessa frowned slightly, and a grim expression was starting to cross her face. ¡°Elaria, what was expressed was more or less an emotional connection, and whatever explanation that I could come up with could never properly reach the depth of what was felt there. But if I had to narrow it down to a single word, it would be that he cared. And Slessi felt that connection well enough to let her emotions show. In the few years that I''ve known her, I have never seen her break down like that.¡±


    The introspective selarin arched a brow. ¡®That was care? Wasn''t that just helping someone in¡­need. I don''t think I''ve ever done that with him. I mean choosing to keep his secret was close, but that was because I''d feel like shit for damning anyone to that fate. And helping him financially was out of generosity, I didn''t feel anything meaningful behind it¡­wait¡­¡¯ Her thoughts trailed off as she recognized the only thing she''d done with him, and is still trying to do with him.


    Elaria''s face dropped into concern. ¡°Is sex not love?¡± She asked worriedly, suddenly placed right back on the line of thinking she was trying to work around.


    A sudden and horrified expression snapped onto Kessa¡¯s visage, frozen at the question and appearing to have suddenly witnessed a horrific tragedy take place right in front of her. ¡°No, Elaria¡­ You can do that as a product of love, but without it, you''re mostly just physically pleasuring yourself¡­¡±


    Elaria felt something crack inside her, as she began to realize what she''d been doing to Leo the entire time, and that she never felt anything deeper than a physical desire to get off. She outright dismissed his beliefs as childish dreaming, and believed that she would get the life that she always wanted, but in the end that was just her own fantasy.


    So she was just using him.


    She immediately felt overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions. ¡°I-I didn''t know¡­ Oh gods, what have I done?!¡± She cried out, and Kessa caught her from nearly falling off the couch.


    Tears started to stream down her face as her thoughts went over her relationship with him. ¡°It wasn''t real...none of what I felt was real¡­¡± Something deep inside her felt like it was rattling to get out, threatening to break her.


    ¡°I was just convincing myself that I loved him, because he was the best I could hope for in a man. Yet I don''t even know what love actually is!¡± She wailed, barely noticing that Kessa wrapped her arms completely around her or that she was reflexively returning the gesture and sobbing deeply into her shoulder.


    She couldn''t believe how stupid and horrible she was. ¡°I-I''m- I can''t even understand how to care for another person, much less love. How could I think that I was able to return his feelings.¡±


    An image of her father crossed her mind, he was laughing deeply as he looked down at the dueling pit. ¡®I was just using him, and I was going to keep using him! I''m no better than that piece of shit!¡¯ The thought screamed with a fury from somewhere so deep within her that it almost felt foreign.


    Kessa spent a few minutes comforting the emotional wreck before speaking. ¡°I don''t know what the relationship is like between you two, but if you want to continue it, then you will have to talk to him.¡±


    Elaria tensed up in the silver selarin¡¯s arms. ¡°But I-I can''t. I can''t even forgive myself! How can he?!¡± She cried out, trembling as her head throbbed painfully.


    Kessa held her tighter, running her hands across her back in a soothing motion that reminded her of her sister, but that muted feeling was even more pronounced. ¡°Elaria, if you regret what you did and truly want to still be with him, then you need to fully open up to him. Especially if you want to make the relationship real.¡±


    Elaria took another minute or two to calm down further, and pulled back a little from the embrace to look up at Kessa. ¡°Do you think he''ll forgive me for using him?¡± She asked with a near desperation in her voice.


    Kessa gave her a warm comforting smile. ¡°If he cares about you even half as much as he did for Slessi, then you shouldn''t worry too much. Just be honest with him as soon as possible so you can better mend your relationship.¡±


    Finally a little more in control of her emotions, Elaria broke the embrace somewhat sheepishly. ¡°Thank you. I-I appreciate the advice¡­ And even though I didn''t feel that connection when you comforted me, it was nice of you to listen.¡±


    The mature selarin smiled as she comfortingly rubbed her back. ¡°That kind of connection doesn''t always have to go both ways, so I''m very happy that I got to help. Now. Let''s get you cleaned up before he sees you. I''d imagine you want to have your heart to heart in private.¡±


    The prospect made Elaria a little apprehensive. ¡°And the sooner the better?¡± She asked hesitantly, and Kessa nodded with a reassuring smile.


    ¡®I don''t know why, but I feel like I''d rather have a hundred rounds in the dueling pit¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 28

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo waited for Elaria outside of the guild after saying farewell to the sensual selarin rep. His partner wanted to talk to Kessa about something in private and seemed particularly intense about it. He left without asking what, which may or may not have been motivated by his awkwardness at being involved with one and unable to keep his eyes off the other.


    Eventually the boredom got to him and he broke into thought after about half an hour of mindless waiting, surprised to find out that even playing with tiny fireballs quickly wears itself thin after a while. ¡®I wonder what she''s talking about¡­ Hopefully not about my endurance, I''ve pretty much forbid her from discussing it with anyone after Allis''s reaction. Although I might have made Kessa the exception if she didn''t already know¡­ Still, I may be able to go for quite a while, but death by a snoo snoo zerg is¡­ Actually¡­¡¯ His train of thought was interrupted by Elaria exiting the guild.


    Both of them started heading for the blacksmith and carpenters to pick up his orders, but he noticed that Elaria was suddenly acting a bit more reserved. He assumed it was because of whatever she spoke to Kessa about, so he didn''t want to pry because she specifically didn''t want him there for the conversation.


    ¡®Maybe it really wasn''t okay for me to have stared so much? She did say something about being aggressive in holding her position...¡¯


    ...


    At the carpenter he picked up two bags of fifty wooden tiles, one was full of one inch tiles, and the other was two. The tiles were for him to better workshop enchantments by modulating the runes, so he didn''t have to keep making and dispersing them on a single surface.


    ¡®Ah modulation, the foundation of peak efficiency¡­ And laziness.¡¯ He thought with a bit of amusement while putting the small bags into his satchel.


    The carpenter also pulled out a mildly ornate staff that was five feet long with the top half of an owl carved into the head, and He couldn''t help the wide smile he wore upon seeing his new staff.


    ¡®May not be one hundred percent accurate, but I might as well commit to the bit with the role I''m most likely going to take up.¡¯ He thought as they left the carpenter and headed for the blacksmith that was just a short walk away.


    ¡°That''s a nice looking staff, are you gonna enchant it?¡± Elaria inquired interestedly, speaking up for the first time since leaving the guild, though he noticed her tone was softer than usual.


    He shrugged and gave the intricate wooden accessory a twirl. ¡°I don''t know¡­ Some utility maybe? I don''t really need a staff, but I figured that if I''m holding one, then any one who wants to force some fun out of me will have second thoughts about attempting it. So it''s mostly for show.¡±


    ¡°Huh, good idea. Though it will draw some more attention from onlookers.¡± She remarked softly with a furrowed brow.


    Leo raised an eyebrow and wanted to ask her what was obviously bothering her, but a gut feeling told him that it might be a conversation best held in a more private setting.


    ¡°Let it. At this point I''d rather have people know that I''m a mage up front. With their reputation, I don''t think anyone will go out of their way to be social with me unless they want something. So it''s just another level of deterrent.¡± He was indifferent, even though she was probably right.


    ¡®A mage is already sort of a rare sight, so a male mage would turn some heads. Add those two with the fact that arch mages are used by royalty, and it might cause me some serious headaches down the road. Then there''s being a summon as well...¡¯


    He signaled to the head smith for his order, and the dwarf went a little wide-eyed at the staff before he sent his apprentices to fetch them.


    The items were carted out a few moments later. A metal box about a foot in dimensions with a thin lid covered in holes, for a magical steamer. Two six inch iron grill plates, for a magical panini press. A toaster casing, for ¡®magical¡¯ toast. A one inch/two foot long metal pipe, to create a prototype for a magical weapon.


    ¡®And a lightweight dagger, for my own added protection.¡¯


    He smiled as he equipped the dagger, not sure if he''d ever use it, but it was nice to have nonetheless. ¡°Thanks, and here''s a coin for your troubles.¡± He tossed the smith a gold coin.


    The smith''s jaw dropped. ¡°I-wait, what?¡±


    Elaria looked confused as well at his massively generous tip. ¡°Um¡­ Leo, I''m with the dwarf on this. Why?¡±


    ¡°Elaria, I''m starting to make more money than I literally know what to do with. I''m not gonna sit on it like some cheap hoarder, and a little goodwill can go a long way.¡± He explained with a casual shrug of the shoulders, because money truly was no object for him now, which was kind of surreal considering his previous life back on earth.


    The smith crossed his arms. ¡°Is yer staff just for show? Because yah sound noting like a mage¡­¡± He questioned critically and eyed him suspiciously, lending credence to him being a rare sight.


    He smirked and gestured his staff toward the items. ¡°Float.¡± A moment later all of his purchases started floating toward him.


    The smith arched a brow. ¡°By my fokin beard, the north must train¡¯em differently then.¡±


    The way too spot on accent drew a frown across his face. ¡®Alright, I need to confirm something¡­¡¯ He asked the smith to say a few things before taking off his translation necklace.


    The smith smiled before saying. ¡°Rug ish ka dull''s nad ishk¡±


    Leo raised an eyebrow, much to the dwarf''s amusement. ¡®That''s definitely not english, and sounds nowhere close to the original accent. So it''s adding the accent because of my perception from media back home. Wait, does that make me or the necklace racist¡­¡¯ He put back on the necklace, somewhat unnerved by the prospect.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks for the merchandise.¡±


    The smith smiled. ¡°You are very much welcome. Please come back again for any more work that you need done.¡± He responded with not a trace of the accent being present.


    It was an effort to suppress an irritated eye twitch. ¡®I''m blaming the necklace¡­¡¯


    He gestured to the remaining items for them to organize into a neat floating stack, and the pair departed from the blacksmith after some polite farewells.


    They headed back to the inn, his stack of purchased goods floating close behind when he noticed the feeling of more eyes on him than usual, but these appeared more weary than lustful. He was unsure how to feel about the shift in perception, but at least this confirmed that people wouldn''t mess with him any time soon.


    ...


    Leo had a silent dinner with his unusually reserved green scaled lover when they finally arrived at the inn, before they both headed down to their room to turn in for the night. He was sure that she would pull him into the bed the second he entered the room, but she didn''t. They even took separate turns in the shower before crawling into bed together, Elaria remaining silent the entire time.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He figured that now was the time to ask. ¡°Elaria, is something bothering you?¡±


    She shifted in bed to position herself closer to him. ¡°Can you just hold me for a moment?¡±


    The warm blooded human obliged, snaking his arms around her stomach from behind to become the big spoon of his cool bodied little spoon.


    The quiet selarin felt tense for a moment, but gradually relaxed as the silence continued to set in.


    ¡°Elaria?¡± He asked again after hearing her begin to softly cry.


    ¡°I- I''m sorry¡­¡±


    He was confused, very worried, but mostly confused. ¡°For what?¡±


    She tensed up again before speaking. ¡°I didn''t know how much you cared¡­¡± It sounded like she had to force the words out.


    The undiscerning man scoffed playfully, trying to lighten the mood. ¡°I wouldn''t be holding you like this if I didn''t care.¡±


    ¡°No! It''s not the- it''s- I-¡± She broke into an incoherent stuttering that was mixed in with her light crying.


    He immediately started consoling her, realizing that this might be way more serious than he initially thought. ¡°Shh, just take a moment to think.¡± He ran his hand across her soft scaled stomach in reassuring motions.


    She spoke once more in a shaky voice after a few more minutes of silence. ¡°It wasn''t love, what I felt toward you in the beginning. Hell, it wasn''t anything close to that for the past few days¡­¡± He felt her start to tremble, like she was expecting some kind of rebuke.


    Judgment was the last thing on his mind, so he held her tighter, doing his best to show that he wasn''t going to. ¡°I''m still here, so go on and let out all you want to say, I''ll listen.¡± He said with as much sincerity as he could express, even though the L word was sorta being dropped in a way that made him very confused.


    He could feel her attempting to continue a few times before she actually managed to start up again. ¡°I- What I did with you is what I thought was love, or at least something resembling it. But I now know for sure it''s not¡­ I didn''t actually feel the way you felt, much less the way you cared for another person¡­ I was just convincing myself that what I felt was affection, but it wasn''t even that. I was just attaching myself to you and¡­¡± She paused and curled slightly in his arms, which only made him curl himself to keep closely pressed against her.


    ¡°The only other person that I would come close to the care that you could share with a complete stranger, might be my sister. I grew up in a family that was cruel, manipulative and devoid of that kind of love. It was all about blood, everything for the family, the family above all. Some of us enjoyed each other''s company, but we never had the kind of connection that was deeper than just being related¡­ And what we did¡­what I did¡­¡±


    Shocked, he could feel her begin to shake, but this didn''t feel like sorrow. ¡®Jesus she¡¯s terrified.¡¯


    He held her tighter, trying to pull her away from whatever she was starting to recall. ¡°It''s alright, I''m here. You''re safe.¡± He reassured, now piecing together a more clearer picture on her emotional state, though something still felt off and very wrong about this whole not knowing what love is thing.


    Elaria snapped out of the moment of fear, taking another minute to collect herself before continuing. ¡°After seeing how you acted towards Slessi, and my talk with Kessa, I realized that I never acted even close to that with you, it was all sexual¡­ And I-I just acted like it was all a fantasy, like I was going to get my happy ending. Fuck, I believed I deserved it¡­ But after today I can''t help but hate myself for going on like this... For just using you-¡± She started to fully break down, sobbing heavily into a balled up part of the bed sheet.


    Loss for words was the best way to describe his own initial feelings while he processed the situation. ¡®I knew the relationship was way too fast to be normal even for this world, and that she was very eager for sex, but I chalked it up to the fucked ratio and a fair amount of culture shock. Man I suck at this... I''ve only ever had a few flings, and never been in anything close to resembling something long term. Hell, the last physical experience I had back on earth was at a party, which ended with an unfortunate blowjob and a permanent apprehension to anything alcoholic, and that was years ago.¡¯


    The pain in his chest began to grow as he made out the occasional muffled I''m sorry from the woman in his arms still crying into the sheets.


    ¡®I may be a dense piece of shit when it comes to relationships, but I''d be damned if I''m the reason for the anguish of someone who doesn''t deserve it, and especially if that someone is Elaria. Fuck, I''m no different. I was using her to some extent in the beginning too, but now...¡¯ His thoughts trailed off, and he committed himself to his feelings.


    The determined man spun her around and hugged her tightly against his chest. ¡°What about now?¡± He asked and received a confused what in response.


    He tilted his head down to look at her. ¡°What do you feel about me now, do you believe that you love me?¡±


    She held closely to his chest. ¡°I- I don''t know¡­¡± Her answer was uncertain, but that was an encouraging sign.


    He pulled back a bit. ¡°Well, how would you feel if I left you and never came back?¡± The hypothetical question seemed to almost send her into a panic.


    He brought her in again to calm her down. ¡°If Elaria! If. But please, describe what you just felt.¡± It was strange to have to explain a pretty common emotion, surprised that she couldn''t differentiate it from basic compassion.


    The frantic selarin calmed down, but held onto him with a tighter grip. ¡°I felt like something in me was about to break, I don''t know what¡­ Or a piece of me was starting to rip away¡­¡±


    His heart started to ache, and wanted to apologize for making her feel that way, but he continued with his momentum. ¡°And how would you feel if I stayed with you forever?¡±


    The way she physically relaxed spoke volumes. ¡°Warm, happy, like I feel lighter.¡± She answered, her voice noticeably more steady.


    It was clear that she might not fully love him, but it appeared that her feelings were definitely heading there, and all she really needed was to better understand them. ¡°Then what happened up till now shouldn''t matter, since you care about me now.¡±


    His reassurance had the opposite effect, as she tensed again. ¡°But I used you, I can''t just forgive myself for that.¡±


    ¡°Elaria, you''ve cried your eyes out because of it, and you''ve felt like shit for not believing that you could ever be able to return my feelings. That''s more than enough proof of your feelings for me. So please, for me, at least try to forgive yourself, because I already do.¡± He told her honestly.


    Elaria slowly pushed away from Leo''s tight embrace, and looked into his eyes. Her face looked a mess of tears, but in her eyes was something new, something genuine. She leaned in and kissed him, but this wasn''t one of her usual kisses. There was no tongue, no escalation, no need for the physical. Only a pair of lips pressed together in a desire to just share the moment of simple, pure affection for one another.


    When they broke apart they took a few silent moments to stare into each other''s eyes.


    She moved closer to him and leaned her head against his chest. ¡°I still don''t know if I truly love you, or if I will ever know. But¡­I would like to try.¡±


    Feeling more at ease he closed his eyes. ¡°And I''ll be right there with you¡­¡± He said while running his hand across her back.


    Now she felt even more relaxed than she was at the beginning of the conversation, and they just held each other for a while, seemingly content to let the moment of intimacy stretch on forever.


    Eventually she shifted around a bit and interrupted the moment to say something. ¡°By the way, I have a bit of a confession to make. My name isn''t Elaria, I changed it to hide from my family and be able to socialize with other people. My family is¡­infamous in Selaria.¡± She explained with a deep shame and a little fear mixed in.


    He continued to run a hand across her back, more reflexive than intentional. ¡°It''s alright. I''ve seen, heard and read some of the worst things that my race has ever done. And the one lesson it''s taught me is that you can''t let the past define you, only learn from it to better yourself now, so you can be proud of yourself later¡­ That and I know nearly nothing about this world.¡± He finished the last part with a grin.


    Something about her giggle made his face hurt with how deeply he smiled. ¡°My real name is Tessari Venomara Scarlet¡­ And my family¡­¡±


    He could feel her start to shake. ¡°Isn''t here, and doesn''t matter.¡± He remarked as he tilted her head up to face his.


    The scales on her face scrunched up in a wince as she avoided direct eye contact, causing him to wonder what was so bad about her familial situation. ¡°But I don''t want to hide anything¡­ Especially¡­¡± She trailed off and her shaking increased.


    As curious as he was, this was certainly not the time for that talk. ¡°Elaria, I don''t care what your family is or did, so we don''t need to have that conversation right now if you''re not feeling up for it. I''m not planning on going anywhere without you anytime soon, so just promise me that you''ll open up to me about it when you''re ready.¡± He pulled her back into his embrace, which thankfully calmed her once more.


    ¡°I...Thank you¡­ And... When we''re alone like this, can you call me Tessari?¡± She asked a bit sheepishly.


    ¡°Alright, Tessari.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 29

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria was walking down a dark hallway, her heart racing with fear and dread. She had failed yet again and knew the punishment, but the family just referred to it as training.


    The hall seemed to stretch on forever as she walked, and familiar voices began to call out from the shadows.


    "Pathetic"


    "Get the healer, will you... She needs to go again."


    "Weak"


    "Ha, just think of them as pigs and swing!"


    "Failure"


    "She can''t even finish a simple contract right!"


    "Incompetent"


    "You had one job! Signal the retreat!"


    "Cowardly"


    "You...flinched¡­ Well that won''t do¡­"


    "A Waste"


    "Why can''t we just kill her?"


    Panic set in like a lead weight at the last voice, and she started sprinting down the seemingly endless corridor.


    ¡°She''s there. She''s always there. She''ll help. She''ll protect me.¡± She repeated to herself with sheer terror coursing through her veins.


    When she reached the end of the hall right before the fighting pit, no one was there. An icy chill seeped its way into her at the approaching voices, causing her to helplessly sink to the floor. Unable to continue into the pit, and unable to turn around to face the voices, she started to cry until they finally reached her.


    A confined and crushing weight made her head throb and her heart crack, and as much as she tried to get a hold of herself, the source of her strength always pulled away, leaving her with nothing but a helpless fear.


    One word brought the rest into silence.


    "Alone¡­"


    Elaria sat there on the ground, her sobbing being the only sound left to fill the dark space around her.


    ¡°Why, why wasn''t she here? She''s always here! I can''t go in if she''s not here!¡± She wailed, but that''s when she felt a warmth begin to envelop her, much warmer than her sister''s usual embrace.


    ¡°Shhh, it''s okay. I''m here now.¡± The vaguely familiar voice calmed.


    Elaria''s breathing steadied and her trembling subsided, finding a new peace that promised to make everything alright.


    ¡°You don''t have to go in anymore, and you don''t have to listen to those other voices.¡± The voice reassured, and desperate for safety she clung to it with what little strength she could muster.


    She tried to look up to the person speaking, but found it impossible to move her head, not that it mattered.


    She was safe, not whole, but happy.


    ¡°You can just stay with me, Tessari.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo awoke to see Elaria watching him as they both lay next to each other, her face wearing a peaceful expression as they stared into one another''s eyes.


    He smiled softly with his own feelings of contentment, before lifting his hand to run his fingers across the cool leafy green scales on her face. ¡°Have a good sleep?¡±


    The selarin''s smile grew wide at the affection. ¡°It started out rocky, but¡­¡± She trailed before giving him a light kiss on the cheek.


    The human raised an eyebrow with his smile still present. ¡°I''ll take that as a yes then, mind sharing?¡± He inquired curiously while drifting off a little in her light amber eyes.


    The selarin wore a thoughtful expression. ¡°Hmm, nope.¡± She answered playfully, right before springing out of bed and skipping off to the shower.


    With a mirthful chuckle he decided to join her, though the shower was set a little colder than he was used to, and after a few intimate moments they both got dressed and headed up for breakfast.


    The days ahead seemed bright.


    ...


    Leo finished his food and was just about done with sketching out the rune layout for the shower when Allis entered the inn, slithering over to their table with a pleased expression.


    After some initial greetings, Allis asked how the trade went, and he cast a sound barrier spell before recounting the events that took place.


    The healer dropped into multiple levels of shock when he told the story, much to both his and Elaria''s amusement.


    ¡°A hundred eighty gold, two thousand acres of land, and an order for constructing a mansion?¡± She stared disbelievingly at him while she recounted the gains and slid back a bit in her chair.


    He wore a guilty expression while he rubbed the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. ¡°Well technically it''s three mansions, the other two will be for on-site staff and my workshop slash trade company headquarters.¡±


    ¡°Trade company?¡± Allis asked with a cocked head and a bit of confusion.


    ¡°I''m going to need one if I''m gonna replace the guild.¡± He responded casually while shrugging off the question.


    Elaria''s eyes widened a little as she turned to him. ¡°You want to take over the trade in Telnar?¡± She sounded kind of impressed with him, but he couldn''t help but smile maniacally, because that was way too small a goal for what he actually planned.


    ¡°No, I want to crush and replace the whole merchants guild.¡± He remarked assuredly, causing Allis and Elaria to wear expressions of utter disbelief.


    Allis turned to Elaria, probably expecting some kind of support in explaining how insane that would be, but she simply let out a resigned sigh. ¡°I''ve accepted the fact that summons are just that ambitious, and have the ability to back it up. I mean look at what he''s done since arriving, he''s learned magic on a leisurely stroll, became an arch mage without even knowing it, and now he''s a wealthy lord with a large amount of land.¡±


    The proud grin he wore at his list of accomplishments quickly warped into a frown. ¡°Lord?¡±


    Elaria stared emotionlessly at him with a critical gaze. ¡°You own two thousand acres of land, and are going to live in a manor.¡± She pointed out a matter-of-factly.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The sudden elevation in status caused the unsuspecting summon to worry. ¡°Wait, but don''t I need to be, well, given the title?¡± He had serious doubts that simply buying land made him a-


    ¡®Ah, landlord¡­The history of that somehow slipped my mind...¡¯


    Allis shrugged and went on to twist the dagger. ¡°If we''re being picky, then yes, but you have the wealth and land, so you basically get the title by default.¡±


    Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed exhaustedly at the new brightly colored target he obliviously placed on his own back. ¡°Yet another title I''ve gained while completely unaware.¡± He was becoming a little troubled by the pattern that was starting to form.


    Elaria smirked as she rested her head on a propped up arm. ¡°Lord and arch mage Leo, dragon of the sheets, and summon from another world.¡± She playfully mocked.


    Leo shut his eyes and let out an audible groan. ¡®God. Fucking. Damn it.¡¯ He hoped that this was the last one he would be receiving, because the last thing he would want is to be introduced with a title chain longer than Daenerys''s.


    Getting over the disturbing thought he turned to Allis, very much with the intent to shift the conversation. ¡°Enough about me, how did your effort to mend bridges go?¡±


    Allis looked a bit conflicted, and a little shy too. ¡°Some good, some¡­not so good. I did manage to patch up things with the herbalist though, and she''ll be taking up my post at the clinic tomorrow.¡± She started to fidget slightly.


    He raised an eyebrow at her turn of mood, surprised again by how genuinely worried he was for the elevated noble. ¡°That''s great, but what''s wrong? Were some of them that bad?¡±


    The sandy scaled selarin started swaying with her fingers interlaced. ¡°No it''s just¡­ I was going to invite you two to stay at my place, but since you''re basically going to be living in a mansion¡­¡± She trailed off dejectedly.


    A teasing smile crossed Leo''s face, remembering how starved for proper interaction she was. ¡°You''re? So I take it you don''t want to live with us when it''s built then?¡± He openly teased the socially timid woman, who apparently had become very self conscious after her little apology trip.


    The serpentine''s eyes looked like perfect round circles with how wide they shot open. ¡°No! I mean, yes I would love to move in with you¡­ If you''re offering, that is?¡± She finished somewhat nervously.


    ¡°Of course, how else are we going to plan out Taipa''s new life as a street rat?¡± He joked with a sly grin, watching Allis beam with joy at the acceptance.


    After a bit of light chatting, Leo told the two selarins that he wasn''t going out today because he wanted to refit the inn''s showers, enchant Kesl some new magical kitchen appliances, and show him a few more recipes from his world.


    The generous summon was going to drop the cut from the pizza and give him the appliances, more recipes, and randomly add new improvements to the inn all for free, at least until he moved into his new home.


    ¡®I got too much time and too much money, might as well fool around with enchanting, while helping a brother out.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was at a genuine loss for words upon waking up this morning, recalling the events of yesterday''s usually scheduled spy time, the setting taking place at the guild of all places. She had been eavesdropping in an alley, her naturally heightened hearing making it trivial to make out the entire conversation through the stone.


    What she heard almost made her considere burning down the branch when they found out Leo was an arch mage, because she could already hear Yez screaming at her for not doing it, but that thankfully resolved itself, so for the most part she was speechless at the outcome.


    He had somehow managed to trade in a bulk of enchanted items for a sizable bit of wealth, a manor, and a large swath of land, essentially making him a lord. That happening at all, much less in about a week and a half since his summoning, was not part of the plan.


    It wasn''t entirely out of the realm of possibility for him to use the knowledge from his world to make some coin, since it was expected that he would when he reached the small and unassuming town. What was though, was the instantaneous leap in magical ability.


    Fel was laying in bed, in her tent, in the bustling selarin camp, staring blankly at nothing in particular. ¡°Fffuuuuck.¡± She hissed out because she had to report on this today, opting to skip yesterday''s due to being too mentally drained to deal with the overly controlling woman''s reaction.


    ¡®I think my grandfather missed the part where a summon didn''t need a kingdom to support them. He might damn well take over Selaria before the end of the season if this rate of growth continues¡­¡¯ She thought while staring at the communication orb on the bedside table with an overwhelming hesitation, then sat up from the bed and pinched the bridge of her nose.


    ¡°No way around it then¡­¡± She let out a groan as she picked up the orb.


    ¡°Yez?¡± She called while bringing it up to her face, dreading the conversation that was about to happen.


    The orb started to light up after a moment. ¡°Hey Fel, how''s the summon doing? He cast any more strange magic?¡± Yez asked a little bitterly.


    ¡°...¡±


    The orb grew brighter. ¡°What did he do now?¡± Yez questioned with utter exasperation.


    Fel explained the situation in full, and the light of the orb seemed to dull the more she went on. When she was done, utter silence hung in the air for a few uncomfortably tense moments.


    ¡°Yez? Are you stil-¡±


    The orb instantly grew so bright that she felt like it burned her eyes, causing her to drop it. Incoherent yelling mixed with random expletives came from the damn thing, all while Fel was still trying to rub the white spots out of her vision.


    The onslaught of undirected rage went on for several minutes before it finally subsided, drawing another resigned sigh out of her as she picked the orb back up. ¡°Yez, you need to bring him into the fold.¡± She stated coolly.


    The orb grew dim. ¡°But the plan was to do that after the academy''s retaliation.¡± Yez complained with a seething rage still present in her voice.


    Fel scowled at the woman''s stubborn need to follow her own plans to the letter. ¡°Yez! He won''t be in Telnar when that happens!¡± She yelled at the orb, her own anger building from how dense her boss was being.


    The orbs light spiked. ¡°It will take at least a few dozen weeks until his home is constructed! And what if he doesn''t join?! He has no motivation to, especially now that he''s a lord!¡± Yez countered in a hard tone.


    Fel was seconds from crushing the orb in a frustrated rage. ¡°Ahhhg¡­ Okay, listen, at this point if we don''t do it, or at least try, he will fuck up your plans. Fuck! He''s already fucked up your plans! It''s now the difference between choosing whether you want to watch all of our effort get tossed into the void, or at least attempt to salvage the situation.¡± She pleaded with the stone wall of a woman.


    The orb spiked in brightness. ¡°Damn it! Fine! But do it when you move on Telnar. Oversee the takeover personally too, because I would also like at least the main part of the plan to not fall apart. And if it does, then I will not hesitate to cut our losses in that kingdom.¡± Yez ordered harshly.


    Fel would be speechless at the move to simply abandon everything, if she wasn''t party to it before. ¡°Fine..¡± She answered through gritted teeth.


    The orb''s light was steady. ¡°Also, continue to stay relatively out of sight. We may not interact with the other races all that much, but some of our features are dead giveaways.¡± Yez explained as if talking to a child.


    Letting go of her own frustrations, Fel rolled her eyes at the comment. ¡°I know, any one with half a mind could tell that from the scales around my face, even if I hide my horns and tail. I guess on the bright side I can stop skulking around town to spy on him, so that''s something¡­ Anyway, how''s it going on your end?¡± She asked with not that much interest due to her own problems.


    A sigh could be heard from the other end. ¡°I''m done, though I can''t say it was hard. I have all the partially falsified evidence ready, and the necklaces are still being snuck into both the kingdoms, so there''s not much to do but wait. The worst thing that could happen is for a competent mage to look too closely at one, but¡­¡± Yez exaggeratedly trailed off.


    Fel may not know exactly what Yez was doing, she was kept out of the loop most of the time, but that didn''t stop her from chuckling. ¡°As rare as a mage themselves.¡± She finished with an amused tone.


    The orb''s light was steady. ¡°Well if that''s all, then I recommend chugging any of your mana potions, should let you squeeze out an extra teleport or two. You look well past the worst of the mana depletion, so it should be safe for you to start drinking without any strain. The sooner we can get him under control the better.¡± Yez advised.


    ¡°Okay then, talk to you tomorrow.¡± She said right before the orb''s light disappeared, then sighed loudly.


    ¡®If I start drinking mana potions now, then I should be done in two more days. Ugh, we''ve only gotten to a quarter of the town''s guard, so we gotta go with plan B for that one. It''s still better than directly taking the town by force.¡¯


    ¡°Gods I hope he doesn''t do anything else¡­¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 30

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Yesterday pretty much went more or less as expected. Leo had replaced the inn''s showers, added a more precise temperature control, and gave Kesl a bunch of newly enchanted kitchen items, but he had to add many more safety features after an incident involving his attempt to create a toaster of all things.


    The damned thing nearly burned his eyebrows off when it spewed fire like a pseudo flame thrower, the launching mechanism for the toast somehow fucked with no clear explanation as to why.


    It repeated itself no matter how he tried to alter the layout or runes involved, which reminded him of having to deal with a bug in a coding engine. The prospect that the runes could have little bugged interactions like that, both fascinated and utterly terrified him at the same time.


    ¡®God help me if I somehow create a stack overflow¡­¡¯ He thought as he sat on the field just outside the gate while hunched over his iron pipe.


    Since his schedule was clear for the day, he decided to use most of it working on the runic system for the magic gun. He chose to conduct his experiments at the field, which had just become the de facto testing site until his home was built. Unfortunately, he hit a few very irritating roadblocks when trying to get the gun to work smoothly.


    Allis let out a sigh as she slithered around him. ¡°So are you going to show me this spell or not, because you''ve been enchanting that thing for, what, over an hour now?¡± She asked with a very bored tone tinged with a mild condescension.


    It was a struggle not to snap back while he scowled at the pipe, very much upset with how his progress on a weapon prototype was going. ¡°Yeah, so much for just five runes¡­¡± He grumbled irritably.


    When the overly optimistic human attempted to simply put the formula for his bullet spell with a trigger onto the pipe, it just yanked itself from his hand. So he had to create an entire system to only affect what was put into it, but then a rock wedged itself inside. So he made the surface frictionless, which should also help with any lost kinetic energy, but it instead prompted him to yell a bunch of expletives when the pipe slipped out of his hands and slid away from him.


    After solving that problem, he realized the pipe was a bit unruly to aim with, so he attempted to use gravity runes on it. The result was that the pipe flung itself into the sky, but luckily he put a timer on deactivating the runes just in case. So now he was attempting to figure out a method of lessening the gravity runes effect.


    With narrowed eyes he picked up the crappy metal barrel and slipped into thought. ¡®The rune is pushing a set and constant amount of mana against gravity, so¡­ Damn it, I need to know what mana is if I ever want to do anything with it¡­ I could attempt to manipulate the wave itself, but fuck me if that''s not asking for trouble. Being able to feel the push and pull of mana on gravity is one thing, leaving it up to hard set triggers with no idea how the runes would interact¡­ Yeah, no. I don''t feel like accidentally creating a black hole if runes can be bugged.¡¯


    He removed all of the runes from the pipe after clicking his tongue, then carelessly flung the disappointment over his shoulder. ¡°I wanted to show you something resembling a working model, but it seems that isn''t happening today.¡±


    Allis crossed her arms and looked a little smug. ¡°I told you that you''d be setting yourself up for failure.¡± She remarked pointedly, but apologized for the slip up in attitude.


    Leo smirked, happy that she was at least putting in the effort to correct her attitude. ¡°You can fail a hundred thousand times, but you only need to succeed once.¡± He reiterated the random quote that he possibly heard somewhere online.


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°If it doesn''t end up killing you.¡±


    He was about to retort, but remembered most of the discoveries made by humanity were near fatal more often than not. ¡°You have no idea... Anyway, I''d like you to construct a mana shield in front of that tree, a two foot square should suffice. Make it as dense and thick as you can, and hold off your mana from actively repairing it, because I want to give you a peak at the potential scale of damage that I can work with.¡±


    One of his spells caused a rock the size of a baseball to float about three feet off the ground, then he hurriedly positioned himself an Allis at the edge of her ability to maintain the mana shield. He also created a large colorless mana shield wall of his own to protect the both of them from what was inevitably about to happen.


    The unsuspecting selarin mage eyed him incredulously. ¡°Is all this really necessary? It''s just a rock¡­¡± She only received a simple smile and a gesture for her to pay attention.


    After a dramatic countdown from ten, there was a sound shattering crack, followed by a short whistle and the sound of multiple instant thuds.


    Even though the former resident of earth held life sacred, he couldn''t help but smile a smile that only a connoisseur of the most overly destructive weapons could appreciate.


    The devastation in front of him was more or less what he assumed a baseball going Mach-fuck you at close to point blank would do to a tree line.


    Even though the projectile floated about three feet off the ground, there was a two foot indentation from the shockwave in which all the surrounding grass in a ten foot radius from that practically vanished. A line started to cone inward from the point of departure that stretched into the tree line, being visible by the kicked up dirt, assumedly from the pressure force that trailed around the baseball sized projectile.


    And while its initial start was something to behold, it was completely overshadowed by the dozens of knocked down trees that stretched into the forest.


    It turned out that the request for Allis to hold off on repairing her mana shield was unnecessary, because it was just gone, as was the tree behind it.


    The large trunk had fallen over, as it could no longer support itself with the nearly two foot hole that was made by the rock. The scene behind the first tree was more or less the same, only that the holes started decreasing in size until the rock appeared to have embedded itself into the base of its last victim, which tilted the tree slightly forward.


    ¡®Safe to say I have mastered destruction one hundred, considering what else I could do, but this is more like five, tops.¡¯ It was a surprisingly casual thought that contrasted heavily to the devastation in question, while Allis had a more appropriate reaction with an expression that made the word shock seem tame.


    A few minutes of silence eventually stretched on into just being awkward. ¡°Uh, Allis? You okay there?¡± He asked a bit hesitantly.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The almost shell shocked mage tilted her head slightly toward him, but couldn''t take her eyes off the destruction. ¡°This...This is how you can kill a dragon¡­¡± There was both awe and fear in her tone.


    ¡°Well, it''s one of my least destructive methods, but yes.¡±


    Allis''s eyes somehow grew wider as they darted to regard Leo directly. ¡°LEAST?! That makes our siege spells look like a fucking joke, and your telling me that''s not even the worst you could do?! I mean arch mages could use terra magic to move mountains, but that takes literal years! Wait, how much mana did that even cost you?!¡±


    The question made him play with the end of his scarf, becoming a bit sheepish and hesitant to answer. ¡°Ehhh¡­ If I''m using the sandwich analogy¡­then I''d say a nibble.¡±


    Allis''s jaw dropped. ¡°A nibble?! How did you maintain that speed and power?!¡± She demanded.


    Leo was about to explain his work around by simply snapping the spell in place for only an instant, which required his basic knowledge on physics, but paused, realizing that may not be the best idea. ¡°Allis, let''s just say that I tell you. Do you really want to know how to wield that kind of power? And if so, are you yourself comfortable with sharing that kind of power?¡±


    She glanced between him and the tree line. ¡°Honestly? Yes to the first and no to the second, so please don''t tell me.¡±


    ¡°Proud of you for your honesty, as well as the rejection.¡± He commended with a pat on the back and genuine pride, but was more than likely not going to tell her anyway, because he didn''t quite trust her much less anyone else with that kind of power, even himself.


    A concerned expression slipped onto the selarin''s visage before she turned to him with a horrified look. ¡°So wait, you''re going to make that metal pipe, do that?!¡±


    Leo''s brow arched as he was a bit taken aback by the question. ¡°Oh hell no! But the speed will be close to ten to fifteen times faster than an arrow, that¡¯ll send a small dense object that''s about the size of a pebble through damn near anyone, and from very far away mind you.¡±


    Allis was visibly speechless as her head tilted around in thought. ¡°You¡­ That¡­ Does your world still even use melee weapons?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Well, combat knives, but we mostly use semi mechanical weapons that can pretty much do what I just did to varying degrees.¡± He answered candidly.


    Allis looked back to the tree line. ¡°That''s some terrifying power¡­¡± She remarked nervously, causing him to furrow his brow while holding back a wince.


    ¡®Best not to tell her about nukes anytime soon¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Glia


    Glia was sitting back at the gate with Elaria while the two mages experimented with magic off in the distance. As they waited for them to finish, Elaria told Glia what happened at the merchant''s guild.


    Elaria was a bit confused at Glia''s priorities, since the obsidian scaled selarin was more surprised by the fact that she could now ask the newly minted lord for a job so soon, rather than the trade deal itself.


    The amber eyed woman gave Glia a critical look. ¡°Seriously, that''s what you''re more surprised about¡­?¡± She remarked with a judgmental tone.


    Glia rolled her own eyes, not sure what was supposed to be so shocking about it. ¡°Elaria, he''s an arch mage. I may not believe all the rumors, but becoming a lord would probably be at the bottom of what he should be able to do. Sure I''m a little amazed that it happened so soon, but it was going to happen. I''m also not surprised that he made that much gold, since he was trading that item. And...could you maybe put in a good word for me, because I really hate this posting.¡± She ended hopefully, but truthfully didn''t actually hate her position and only wanted a quick pay raise for doing essentially the same thing.


    Elaria turned to look at Leo in the distance as she smiled warmly. ¡°No need, knowing him he''ll definitely say yes if you ask.¡±


    Glia raised a questioning eyebrow and was about to say something before her words caught in her throat. Her friend was looking across the field with a genuinely warm expression, eyes shone in a certain brightness that paired perfectly with her smile. Glia had never seen her look like that before, and the sight of it pulled on her heart.


    When she had first met the green scaled woman in basic training, Elaria was very distant and almost drained of the will to live. Glia wasn''t ignorant of all the fucked up shit that happens in the world, but she''d be damned if it stopped her from enjoying life. Seeing someone like Elaria act nearly robotic with people while completely isolating herself, really got under her scales.


    So Glia did what any impulsively blunt extrovert does, crash into her life with complete disregard for social etiquette, and it worked out, for the most part. She showed her that life could be fun and enjoyable, dragging her to parties and nearby festivals. She also showed her that skirting some rules didn''t mean a death sentence, and could lead to some new and exciting moments. And as time went on, she got to see her new best friend start to open up, relax, and enjoy living.


    But even though Glia introduced Elaria to many physical pleasures, she never once figured out how to go about showing her how to be more emotionally involved. So at some point Glia felt like she hit a wall with her, because she could never seem to get Elaria to dig any deeper than just below the surface.


    It was like something special was missing, a connection that didn''t seem to quite reach, and every time Glia noticed this, she somehow felt like she failed her. One of the only regrets she''s carried since befriending her was that she gave up trying to help, and it has been the one nagging guilt that weighed heavily on her conscience.


    Looking at Elaria at this very moment though, seeing the way she watched Leo out on the field, Glia could definitely tell that she went far deeper than she''d ever been.


    Glia was at a loss for words by the sight, and she quickly turned her head away from Elaria when she started to tear up, but the woman seemed to take notice. ¡°Glia, what''s wrong?¡± She asked with a tinge of genuine concern, and Glia couldn''t help but glance back to her, because she seemed genuinely concerned and a bit confused at the sudden show of emotions.


    ¡°It''s nothing Elaria, just remembered¡­ Something.¡± She smiled a bit and let out a half hearted laugh.


    Elaria''s face fell deeper into concern as she continued to stare at her, but then it was replaced by a hard look of determination as she shifted over to pull her into a close hug. It took a moment for Glia to process what Elaria was doing, but then she started to cry happily into her shoulder.


    ¡°You tried to show me, didn''t you? ¡­¡± She asked softly while tightening her embrace.


    Glia sobbed into Elaria''s shoulder. ¡°I''m so sorry for giving up. I just didn''t know what to do¡­ How to show someone¡­ How to show you...¡±


    Elaria balled at the back of Glia''s clothes. ¡°You shouldn''t feel...¡± She trailed off for a few moments before continuing. ¡°I forgive you Glia, and thank you for getting me as far as you could. I wouldn''t even be here if it wasn''t for you.¡± She finished, and Glia could hear her start to weep.


    Glia felt a small guilty weight vanish as she continued to hold on to Elaria, her one long regret finally resolved.


    ¡®Thank you Leo.¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 31

    _________________________________________


    Sel


    Sel was doing more paperwork in her office when a new document from the merchant''s guild caught her attention.


    [ To whom it may concern.


    We at the merchant''s guild have recently sold the property to the northwest of Telnar. The negotiation and closure of the deal took place at the Telnar merchant''s guild branch, and was received by the newly lorded, Leo.


    General details regarding the acquisition can be found below, but due to the nature of the trade, much of the information has been redacted.


    ¡­ ]


    ¡°What crazy bastard thinks it''s a good idea to start building near the elven border with the looming threat of war?¡± She muttered in confusion, her face warping into disbelief as she continued to read.


    [ ¡­ For any further questions regarding the deal please contact our Telnar branch representative, or with lord Leo, who is staying at the Telnar inn until his home construction order has completed.]


    ¡®The guild doesn''t usually skimp on details like this... I should pay our new neighbor a visit. Hopefully he''s not too much of an arrogant-¡¯ Her thoughts were cut short by a knock on her door.


    One of her guards entered and informed her that almost everyone had formed up outside the base, and Sel looked at the woman in utter confusion.


    The captain blinked, searching her own memories as to why before coming up blank. ¡°The hell do you mean most of the guards are outside?¡± She snapped incredulously.


    The fidgety guard stumbled with her words. ¡°Um, er, well, it was under your orders ma''am¡­¡±


    She scowled and left her office to find out what was going on, the guard following close behind.


    ¡®My orders?¡¯


    When she walked out of the base she was greeted with the sight of nearly two hundred of her guards waiting in formation, but none seemed to be wearing their proper equipment.


    She rubbed her temple and wore an irritated expression. ¡°Can someone explain to me, what the hell is going on? Because I didn''t order an-¡± Her words caught in her throat as a familiar chill ran up her spine, and soon hundreds of armed selarins poured out of nearby alleyways and buildings, as well as a few dozen armed with crossbows appearing on a few rooftops.


    Her leadership instincts took over, and she ordered all to retreat and take up a defensive position back inside the base. But she was stopped by the blade end of a sword as she turned around to re-enter the building, the weapon being held by the guard that followed her out. Moments later the rest of the remaining guard exited the base, fully armed and preventing anyone from entering.


    As she realized what was happening, Sel stared the traitor right in the eyes with a mournful and disappointed look. ¡°You know what''s going to happen to you all, right?¡± She asked, and the former guard nodded with a hard expression.


    ¡°As long as you''re aware¡­ Everyone that is still with the guard, stand down. We surrender.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was overlooking the ambush from one of the nearby rooftops, a smile crossing her face at the rest of the guard''s peaceful surrender.


    She breathed out a sigh of relief from the plan working out so well, mostly because it was one of the few parts that she did have total say in how it was carried out. ¡°I''m glad this went so smoothly, especially since It took most of yesterday to set up¡­¡± She grumbled before she started to dart from rooftop to rooftop toward her next destination.


    ¡®Ok, the soldiers should be clearing out the area around the inn. Hopefully he chooses to join us, if not then I should at least try and convince him to help us. I have some hope given his dislike for the nobility, but I know nothing more since he started using that sound spell. So at the very least I should be able to convince him to help. The worst thing that could happen is that a fight breaks out, but I''d like to avoid killing him, especially after all the effort I put into summoning him.¡¯


    She leapt to the ground from a roof near the inn and casually walked over to the entrance. There was a soldier there to give the signal to be ready to fight if the worst case scenario happened. Even though a dragon could easily kill an arch mage, they could wreak all kinds of havoc before that could happen.


    Fel hoped he was reasonable.


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo, Allis, and Elaria were spending this relaxing morning in the inn''s dine-in area. The two selarin were having a relatively normal discussion about their plans for the day, while in contrast, Leo was casually sketching out potential designs for world changing enchantments. A properly prototyped magic rifle was a smidge harder than he thought, but he managed to iron out most of the rune interactions by testing them on a small scale with his wooden tiles.


    His first rifle design was pretty much a sketched out version of the American M1, but only visually, since magic made up for all the internals. He also thought that other designs would be way too excessive for multiple reasons, because with magic he didn''t have to worry about recoil or jamming, and if he wanted he could bump up the power to have it act like a fifty cal.


    Some other ideas he noted down were more for things he wanted to make for the hell of it. Like creating a laser rifle, freeze rays, repulsor gauntlets, shrink rays, Mjolnir, and more.


    His pencil slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor, so he casually pulled it back up with his magic. He paused for a moment to stare at it, and realized something that brought a wide childlike smile to his face.


    ¡®Wait a minute, this is basically the force¡­ I can wield the mother fucking force! Oh, okay, a lightsaber is definitely going to be one of the first things that I''ll mess around with trying to make. Now the only question is, what color should it be¡­?¡¯ He thought gleefully, and a few minutes later he could hear a bunch of commotion coming from outside, then after a moment there was complete silence.


    He turned to look at Allis and Elaria and saw that they both were wearing an expression of equal concern. ¡®I don''t like where this is going¡­ More so if a sketchy cloaked figure walks in.¡¯


    Then it happened.


    Frowning deeply, he put away his sketchbook with no small amount of annoyance. ¡®Really? Maybe they''re here for a reason totally unrelated to me?¡¯


    The figure snapped their head to him.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    His eyes widened a bit while he reached for his staff. ¡®Ohhhhh fuck.¡¯ He thought as the figure walked over to him, seemingly undeterred by his potential mage status.


    There was a tension in the air over the uneasy silence when the figure reached their table, and the concerned summon eyed the newcomer cautiously. ¡°Uh, hello...friend? Is there something that we can do for you?¡±


    The mystery woman, now close enough for him to tell, cocked her head with a barely visible smile peeking out from the hood. ¡°Well that depends, Leo. How do you feel about how this kingdom is run?¡±


    That caused him to relax a little, because the worst case scenario was taken firmly off the table. ¡®Rebels? I like rebels. I can fucks with some rebels¡­ But it''s still very unsettling to name drop me like that. Still, best to be blunt.¡¯ He cast a sound barrier around the four of them and noticed the figure tense as the cast went through, which revealed that she could sense mana.


    He answered before she could comment on the spell. ¡°I fucking hate it. I hate the abuse. I hate the treatment of its people. I hate the slavery. I hate the guild. I hate the army. I hate the nobility. And I fucking hate the academy.¡±


    The woman stared motionlessly at him, before trying to suppress her laughter. ¡°I assume we''re inside your sound spell then.¡±


    His brow arched in mild surprise, because she not only knew of the spell, but the lady didn''t react to him casting without words as well. ¡°Okay, my turn to ask a question. Who are you and how the fuck did you know that?¡±


    The figure let out an amused snort. ¡°I spied on you of course. I don''t want to lose track of my summon now, do I?¡± She answered casually, causing his jaw to hang open, unable to retort to the blatant admission, while Allis and Elaria were equally stunned.


    The figure chuckled. ¡°If that''s a revelation, then I have something even better to show you. But could we go to your room to discuss further? I''d like to take off this stuffy thing, and I do value my privacy.¡±


    Leo nodded while his mind was still trying to organize the multitude of questions that he wanted to ask her. ¡°Uhh, sure. Allis, Elaria, mind joining me and the walking plot development?¡± He asked the two slightly dazed selarins who both nodded in response.


    A nagging thought crept into his mind as they made their way down. ¡®If she''s revealing herself now, then her plans are moving forward, or whatever she was planning got screwed¡­Oh, I did just become a lord¡­ Wait, has she been spying on me since I was summoned? ¡­ No, then that would mean she left me stranded in the forest for nearly three days¡­ No¡­ Wait...¡¯


    Leo made sure to cast another sound barrier on the door when they got to the room, and entered to find Allis and Elaria blocking his path. The two of them were frozen in place, so he stepped around them to see the now de-cloaked mystery woman.


    She was five and half feet tall and looked like a relatively slim human, beside some very obvious differences. She had thick white horns on the sides of her head that looped around to point forward. Her skin was a fair white with hard looking scales that trailed along her body in clustered patterns.


    ¡®If it wasn''t for the length of her rough tail being nearly five feet, she would have a close resemblance to the ¡®Au ra¡¯ from final fant-¡¯


    His mind started to mentally make the connections as all the information suddenly fell into place.


    ¡°Oh, she''s a dragon¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was elated at the fact that Leo had a dislike for the established systems, but that probably meant that the whole ¡®getting him to hold a grudge¡¯ plan was completely unneeded. And the stories her grandfather told her about the last summon seemed completely useless, since Leo either did the exact opposite or progressed way too fast for how he described them.


    Summoning magic was like randomly pulling something out of an ocean of infinite worlds, so it being dangerous was putting it lightly. If the caster didn''t have a solid, clear, and specific intent for what they wanted to summon then it could be deadly, even for a dragon. In fact, it is a well known secret among dragons that over half of the eras were caused either by a summon, or a botched attempt. The sixth, and tenth eras being the worst cases of fuck ups for the dragons.


    Luckily the drawbacks for summoning deters almost every dragon from doing it, since doing it permanently lessens the ability for a dragon to shift between forms. It only takes more than two summons to be stuck in whatever form they''re left in.


    Fel wondered if Leo''s fast progress and aligned feelings had to do with her using raw desire to summon him, and that maybe he was in fact her perfect ideal. There are stories of dragons who used their desire to summon people or items that reflected their true wants, but it was even more dangerous since not many know what they truly want. So a few of those stories usually ended with the dragon dead, because a dragon could summon a horrifying monster that represented their deepest selves.


    A half hearted smile crossed her face. ¡®It might be fanciful thinking, but hopefully it''s not too far off. It would mean that he''d just join us if I explained ourselves to him.¡¯ She thought while she removed her cloak, and showed an amused expression at her visibly shocked audience.


    ¡°The name is Fel''aristriza Quitial''tis, but you can call me Fel. And by your expressions I seemed to have topped my previous surprise by a sizable margin.¡± She remarked pridefully.


    Leo seemed to drop from surprised to completely unimpressed. ¡°Eh, maybe, but I couldn''t honestly give any less of a fuck.¡±


    Fel blinked in confusion. ¡°Uh, excuse me?¡± She asked while a little taken aback.


    The man rolled his eyes, irritating the dragoness. ¡°Look, I can guess that you''re here because I''ve somehow fucked your plans, probably due to me becoming a lord, though if you were spying on me then I''m more surprised you didn''t reveal yourself when I leveled up into an arch mage.¡± He explained bluntly.


    Fel gawked at him for a moment, then decided that she had enough of dealing with his shit. ¡°Alright, if we''re being blunt then I should admit that you single handedly took a planned schedule that was supposed to stretch out over a year, and squashed it into just a little over a week. Which caused me to experience mana depletion for the first time, so fuck you for that.¡±


    The human smiled mirthlessly. ¡°Well consider it pay back for leaving me stranded and alone in a forest. Oh and if you didn''t, then fuck you for just watching.¡±


    She was going to retort, but sheepishly broke eye contact instead.


    ¡°You were watching me! Do you have any idea how much dehydration fucking hurts?!¡± He yelled irritably.


    ¡®Probably not as bad as mana depletion¡­¡¯ She mentally rolled her eyes.


    Fel sighed and knew that she would have to take the blame for that, knowing that it wasn''t even her idea. ¡°I''m sorry for that. I should have talked to you as soon as I summoned you, but I didn''t for two reasons and one of which was for my safety.¡±


    Her summon narrowed his eyes for a moment before dropping the front. ¡°Fine, apology accepted. Can''t quite stay mad at the person that brought me here, since this world would be considered a literal fantasy where I''m from. I''ve even experienced every child''s, and most adults, dream to fly freely through the sky. So holding a grudge would be petty... But still, fuck you for that.¡± He ended jokingly.


    She couldn''t help but bark a small laugh. ¡°Fair. So back to the reason that I''m here. I want you to join our takeover of selaria, and I won''t share anything more with you unless you agree to join.¡± Again, not her decision to withhold information like that, but Yez was fairly specific regarding their first interactions.


    ¡®It''s going well so far, and we''re pretty much in agreement¡­¡¯ She saw no reason for him not to join them, even if she didn''t agree with how she was asking.


    Leo furrowed his brow and his lips curled into a slight frown. ¡°Hm, I''d like the answer to a question first. How did the dragons rip out the last summoned soul, and was the process quick?¡±


    She was confused by the seemingly random question, though she knew the general idea behind it. ¡°Um, well it''s not really a soul. It''s actually their consciousness that was bonded with entrapped mana, and it takes quite a bit of effort and time to accomplish, especially ripping out someone''s consciousness. It''s more like a ritual than a spell.¡±


    A wide smile stretched across his face. ¡°Alright then, I would like you to kindly fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 32

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Conveniently, Leo had almost nothing to fear from the dragons, apart from them turning the entire world against him, but he did have some conflicted feelings toward his new acquaintance, Fel.


    Fel may have summoned him to this literal magical world, but he was pretty sure she went behind the other dragon''s backs, which likely means a whole mess of politics.


    He hated politics.


    There might also be some major friction in how to go about taking control of Selaria, because something told him that her way might end up being less than moral. And even though she asked him to join, his gut feeling told him that doing his own thing won''t be an option with her.


    ¡®And to be frank, even though I love how blunt she is, it irks me that she acts so stub...born... Oh¡­ Well don''t I feel like the pot right now¡­¡¯


    The dragoness crossed her arms and wore a critical expression. ¡°Leo, don''t you want to help change this broken kingdom? Because I''m here to do just that, and our plans are to change the rest of the world for the better.¡± She questioned pointedly.


    The human frowned while crossing his own arms, and tilted his head up as he eyed her critically. ¡°See, that''s the problem right there, your plans. I have my own plans to do both those things, and probably way faster and more efficient than yours. I have very little faith that you or your plan is all that competent, considering I single handedly sent you into a time crunch.¡± He admitted harshly and noticed the dragon''s tail stiffen at the insult.


    ¡®That last part was probably a bit much, maybe I''m still not over the whole being left in the woods thing as I thought...¡¯


    ¡°She''s-we''ve been planning and preparing for years, you''ve only been here for nearly two weeks. So in terms of competence whatever you have planned might as well be winging it.¡± Fel snarled, but it only looked half hearted.


    ¡®Not entirely inaccurate¡­¡¯ He mentally winced, wishing that the meat of his knowledge about this world didn''t boil down to some vague general history and propaganda pieces.


    Even still, he resolved his features and kept up his confidence. ¡°I have most of my people''s entire history to draw from, with hundreds if not thousands of successful revolts, coups, and revolutions, all of which have been failing on this world. Also if we''re criticizing my time spent here, then let me remind you that just over a week ago I was slowly dying alone in a forest, a full world away from home, and since then I''ve learned magic, become an arch mage, and acquired enough land and wealth to be considered a lord. If you''re not as dense as I assume you are, then imagine what I could do in a month from now, much less a year.¡± He explained with a little condescension.


    The silver haired woman sneered, her tail whipping in visible irritation. ¡°Okay then oh wise one, how the fuck do you think of dealing with the dragon council, because they support the academies! You don''t have the power to even take me on, how do you think you''d do against over two hundred of the most powerful mortals on the planet?! Because if you don''t want to hit a roadblock and die early, then you need to have entire kingdoms as well as a sizable number of dragons backing you.¡±


    He held back a grimace at that little important tidbit of information, pretty much the perfect example of how uninformed he truly was. ¡®There''s a cabal of dragons who have their fingers in all the academies? Fuck me, I need to do some lore diving¡­ Wait a minute¡­¡¯


    ¡°Did you not spy on me yesterday?¡± He asked curiously, believing that she was taking him way too lightly if she had been spying on him all this time.


    Fel rolled her eyes. ¡°No, I was preparing for the takeover of Telnar, which was smooth and bloodless, considering it was supposed to take a year, no thanks to you. And you''ve still not given me an answer.¡± She prodded impatiently.


    ¡®She took control of Telnar? I hope Glia''s safe, but that''s¡­ Bad¡­ That means the academy is going to come knocking. Damn it, I think she just fucked me! The last thing I need is a death squad of mages combing through town. Ah, and the fact that a new lord just happened to pop up on the border right before the town was taken by rebels just screams involved¡­ Fuck! Now I''ll need to do my own damage control, but I''d rather not work with¡­ Wait.¡¯ His thoughts trailed off as a cunning little idea started to form.


    The conniving human smirked as he regarded the very ignorant dragoness. ¡°How about I show you, while resolving our little dispute at the same time. I assume you''re the leader of your little uprising, correct?¡±


    The silver haired woman raised an eyebrow while eyeing him suspiciously. ¡°Myself and a few others, but I am completely in charge of taking Selaria.¡± She responded cautiously.


    His face lit up with joy. ¡°Let''s make a little wager, and If you win I''ll join you no questions asked, I''ll even follow all your orders like a good little summon. But if I win, you and your entire operation here will follow my plans for turning Selaria, and you will follow what I say to the letter.¡±


    The totally speechless expression she had was priceless, appearing visibly taken aback while giving him an incredulous look. ¡°You must be out of your mind. I have way more to lose, so why would I agree to that?¡± She questioned critically.


    He grinned, and knew that a dragon''s pride would see it as the other way around. ¡°Because we''re going to have a duel, and first to submit to the other wins.¡±


    She stared blankly at him, before breaking into a shit eating grin. ¡°Well, I could use the workout, so let''s go to that field you like so much. I''d like to get this over with as soon as possible.¡± The prideful woman remarked confidently.


    Leo sighed, wanting something a little more binding than just her word. ¡°Hold on a moment, I''ll have Allis draw up a contract.¡±


    She scoffed while putting back on her cloak. ¡°No need, a dragon can bind a deal themselves, and our oaths are a hell of a lot stronger. We were the ones who taught the other races how to make contracts after all.¡±


    ¡®Note to self, make her spill everything she knows about her race¡­ Once I win.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Allis & Elaria


    The two selarins both could not describe the mixture of emotions felt upon seeing an actual dragon reveal themselves, but fear was definitely top among them.


    Allis was terrified of being caught in a crossfire if the two fought, but she knew if Leo landed the first blow then he''d come out on top.


    Elaria was torn between her mind telling her to run out of self preservation, while her heart kept her in the room, because she was unable to leave Leo alone with her.


    As they both passively watched them argue, their fear subsided into confusion and then utter disbelief.


    Allis was speechless, because Leo issued a duel to a dragon, only second in power to a minor god. She only hoped that they both didn''t go all out, because she wanted to watch and not die from a stray spell.


    Elaria was less shocked by the duel, and more baffled by how similar the two seemed to act. Neither backing down, both determined to see their way through an argument, their confidence and bluntness showing clearly in how they spoke, and how completely sure of themselves they seemed to be. But as similar as their personalities were, they seemed to give off an open dislike for each other.


    Even though Allis and Elaria had very different takes on the situation, the both of them had the same thought as they followed the two most dangerous people they''ve ever met.


    ¡®The hell have I gotten myself into¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    As they all walked across town to the field, Fel couldn''t help but wear a smug expression. She was going to enjoy venting some of the stress and irritation that he caused her.


    From getting a constant earful from Yez for making an utter mess of the schedule, to his infuriating stubbornness, she couldn''t wait to finally put the cocky bastard in his place.


    ¡®I have to be careful so that I don''t accidentally kill him though, he''s not a dragon after all.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo couldn''t help but notice the number of armed selarins patrolling the streets, which more or less confirmed what Fel said about taking the town.


    As he turned to his summoner, he furrowed his brow because he was suddenly concerned about Glia. ¡°Hey, Fel, was it? You said that your takeover was bloodless, so what did you do with the guard?¡±


    ¡°At the moment? We are trying to recruit as many of them as possible, and any who don''t join will just be dispersed into the town, but we are going to hold on to the leader. It will prevent any unwanted reorganization of the guard, not that they would try since they believe that the academy is going to wipe us out anyway.¡± She casually explained as if it was a non issue, causing him to deadpan a little at the lack of specifics on that topic.


    ¡°And I''m guessing that you won''t tell me how you plan to overcome that obstacle without getting directly involved? At least not until I win.¡± He finished with an assured tone.


    Fel rolled her eyes with a mocking smirk. ¡°Yes, of course I''ll reveal all of our plans once you¡¯ve joined us, paper dragon.¡±


    ¡®Ouch at the double meaning there, though both are factually incorrect. Maybe I should take my time with this, so I could get a general idea of the limits of an actual dragon¡­ And totally not to wipe that smug smile off her face¡­¡¯


    When they reached the gate, Leo was surprised to find Glia at her post, and he arched his brow at her presence. ¡°Glia, you joined the rebels?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The obsidian scaled woman cocked her head and exuded a fair amount of confusion at the question. ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you go to the gathering outside the base?¡± Fel asked from behind, sounding equally confused.


    Glia barked a laugh. ¡°And spend hours either listening to a lecture or doing practice drills? Yeah, no. I''m content to watch the grass.¡± She responded while giving a nod to the open field.


    He let out a deep sigh and turned to Allis and Elaria, giving the former his useless staff. ¡°Can you two fill her in while we both go fight each other for the future of the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Future of the kingdom? What ar-¡± Glia¡¯s words caught at the sight of Fel de-cloaking, the amused woman letting out a chuckle while the human shook his head in exasperation.


    As they both set out across the field, Leo made sure that they walked farther along the tree line, to be far from his recent use of acceleration magic. ¡®Best to keep her prideful, should make this fight much easier at the start.¡¯


    When they finally reached a seemingly safe distance, Fel stopped to form the oath for the deal. He was skeptical at how simple it was, since all they had to do was shake on it while visualizing the intent for both of their sides of the deal.


    Fel held out her hand. ¡°So are you sure you want to do this? last chance to back out.¡± She offered, and sounded a little worried for his safety.


    Leo cracked a grin while meeting her grip. ¡°Funny, I was about to offer the same.¡± He remarked while giving her a firm handshake.


    A massive amount of mana pulled between them both, and Fel''s eyes grew wide as a bright light appeared around their hands for a few moments before dissipating. When it was finished, Leo looked back up to Fel, and saw that she wore a hard expression.


    Her piercing gaze made him a bit concerned. ¡°Did it mess up?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She answered harshly and turned around to put some space between them for the duel, but he couldn''t help but feel the sudden and illogically heavy thuds from her stride.


    The doubtful man was still not convinced. ¡°Then what''s wro-¡±


    ¡°Let''s just get this over with. Come at me when you''re ready to begin.¡± She cut him off, seeming very determined as she readied into a firm fighting stance.


    The wary human didn''t like the sudden shift in personality, as it meant she was taking him seriously now. ¡®So much for starting off easy¡­¡¯


    Ultimately he figured that this was for the best, because he wanted to know what dragons were fully capable of. Thus he also decided to hold off on using gravity magic on her, opting to test a lot of the combat spells he cooked up out of boredom.


    He summoned a fireball knowing full well that she was probably immune, but he still wanted to verify all that he could. As soon as he let the ball loose at her, she bolted right into it toward him at an insane speed.


    He barely had time to react, as she went from sixty feet away from him, to just a few wide steps in seconds. He flung himself backwards into the air to put some distance between them, and not a moment too soon as she nearly grabbed him by the collar.


    ¡®Fuck me! I''ve never felt like I''ve wanted to shit myself before, but that was def-¡¯ The thought cut short when he saw wings phase onto her back, and she immediately took to the air toward him.


    ¡®Oh what is that horse shit!?¡¯


    He sped away while flinging foot-long ice shards at her, hoping to slow her gaining speed. It was working, until it wasn''t. Initially she dodged them for the first few seconds, gliding through the air like a fish in water, but that stopped when she phased in scales to protect her arms and long sharp claws to slice through his ice.


    The persistent woman nearly caught up with him, so he kicked up his foot more for showmanship than anything else, summoning a torrential gust of wind that sent her hundreds of feet away. It was obvious for multiple reasons that she would be experienced in aerial combat, since it took only moments for her to tuck in her wings and drop out of the sudden gale before resuming her chase.


    Fortunately he had already used that time to swing back to the ground and push mana down into it for his next spell. It was a strange sensation, as he felt the earth all around him, like it was a part of his body in a way. Almost like how he used his gravity magic, only more pronounced.


    That little musing was very brief due to Fel torpedoing at him from the sky, but he kept calm and timed the distance between them. When she was close enough for the spell he let loose with a massive two story earthen arm, the magical construct erupting from the ground to backhand her across the field.


    There was an audible thud when she impacted well over a hundred feet away, dirt and debris kicking up as if a small meteorite landed. For a moment Leo had hoped that he didn''t actually hurt her, but that was a very short lived sentiment when she bulleted out of the mist of dirt that shrouded the sizable crater.


    The fact that she shook off such a heavy attack made him wince a bit. ¡®Okay, pulling out some of my more advanced tricks¡­¡¯


    He transferred the thermal energy from the surrounding environment into the ground between him and his relentless pursuer, much of it directed and focused from the twin suns. A twenty foot wide, but shallow, pool of molten slag was created in almost a flash. The constantly front footed woman skidded to a stop just at the edge of the pool, surprise written clear across her face.


    The breath he let out was one he didn''t realize he had been holding. ¡®Oh thank god I found the bar to impress her.¡¯ His optimistic thought died at the sight of her manic smile.


    A massive amount of mana was suddenly used up, then the pool bubbled and grew as large lava tendrils started to emerge from it. ¡®Oh, of course dragons can use lava magic, because why not?!¡¯


    In the briefest of moments he had spotted a familiarly annoying metal pipe, and came up with the most lovely idea. But that distracting thought was interrupted by a glob of lava being flung at him from one of the tendrils.


    Flinching back from the slow moving warning shot, he looked between it and the pool a little wide-eyed. ¡°No no no no no, none of that now.¡± He remarked sternly.


    Leo pulled all the thermal energy out of the lava, and used it to help fuel a constant stream of fire directed at Fel, but she seemed more annoyed than hurt by it. She appeared visibly confused when the lava quickly dried up, but resumed her chase once more, practically flinging herself at him.


    He floated himself an inch off the ground, immediately made the surrounding area frictionless, watched with satisfaction as Fel comically slipped onto her stomach, and casually floated out of her path as she slid right past him. She yelled out in frustration, because not only was she unable to stand back up, but her body couldn''t even attempt to lift itself up from the ground.


    ¡®Okay brain, think of a few more ideas while you still have time.¡¯


    Fel started to flap her wings to get off the frictionless ground, and once she was up she glared at him with a very pissed off expression.


    He dispelled the frictionless surface out of a bit of guilt and figured that he should stop trying to run, so he cast an ultra thin, form fitting, colorless magic barrier while imagining its structure to be that of carbon nanotubes.


    Seconds later he was barreled into by a borderline irate dragoness, knocking him on his back as she straddled his stomach.


    ¡°Yield!¡± She growled.


    He made a show of considering her demand while locking the motion of the barrier in place. ¡°Mmm Nah.¡± He said with a bit of sass.


    Fel balled her fist and punched him in the face, but his head didn''t even budge.


    ¡°You know, if you wanted to ride me all you had to do was ask.¡± He taunted with a blustering confidence.


    The silver haired woman turned a shade of red, scowled, then delivered another punch, and this time he felt a small amount of pressure against his skin.


    ¡®That''s a little worrying¡­¡¯ His smile faltered.


    She pulled back her arm for another punch, and he could feel her push a massive amount of mana into it, causing his eyes to widen with fear.


    ¡®And that, is fucking terrifying!¡¯


    Leo used gravity to yank himself out from under her right before she landed the insanely powerful blow, which shattered the ground, creating massive twenty foot cracks from the point of impact.


    He furrowed his brow as he floated a bit off the ground, looking at the end of the crack leading from him to the impact crater. ¡®I think I should end this, soon¡­¡¯


    There was a visible conflict on the woman''s face, a number of emotions passing over it for a few seconds before she stood up and relaxed. She then started to take in a long and slow breath that seemed to stretch on forever, and it looked like streams of fire were rushing into her mouth as she continued to inhale.


    Being the online media junky he was, it wasn''t hard to realize what she was doing, especially when he noticed that his position made it so that she wasn''t in line of sight of the town.


    ¡°A charge attack? Really?¡± The mocking comment lost a bit of edge when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a genuine feeling of fear washing over him.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    The bar on using high level gravity magic was dropped, and he created an ultra dense bubble that he hoped to god would curve what was about to hit him. He didn''t even think twice about blocking it, because if he dodged it might track him like an Omega Beam for all he knew.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Nothing a few hundred G''s can''t solve¡­¡± He tried to reassure himself.


    Fel stopped her inhaling, and a massively bright glow emitted from her chest. He opted to add a couple hundred more G''s as well as creating a few layers of subzero air on the inside wall of the bubble, just in case.


    Leo smiled. ¡®Now I feel safe.¡¯ He thought more comfortably.


    Fel let loose a massive beam of plasma that shot out from a small ball that was held just at the entrance of her mouth. The beam came out from the ball and stretched out to a diameter of fifteen feet, vaporizing everything in its path and scorching anything twenty feet on either side of it.


    As the beam hit the gravity bubble, it enveloped the bubble completely and curved perfectly to its surface. He could feel the heat start to seep in, so he just refreshed the sub zero wall, and shielded his eyes from the surrounding bright light.


    ¡®Less safe, but still safe¡­¡¯


    The attack eventually subsided, leaving him to survey the damage. A ten foot wide and five foot deep impression of molten earth led from Fel all the way to him, grass and other foliage simply gone a dozen feet wider than that. His jaw dropped at the line of destruction behind him, the molten impression continuing well beyond his sightline.


    The excessive use of power only meant one thing, causing his expression to fall. ¡®Wait, did she intend to kill me there¡­¡¯ He thought while he turned back to Fel, seeing her visibly exhausted with an utter look of disbelief.


    Pursing his lips, he decided that he''d seen enough. ¡°Yup, I''m done with this.¡± He remarked emotionlessly.


    He dropped the protective barriers, gripped Fel with his gravity magic, and sighed with a shake of the head at her instant look of panic. It might have drawn a chuckle from him if he had done this at the start, but being on the opposite end of a hyper beam was a serious matter.


    The clear winner watched on, blank faced as she struggled to break free, all while he carefully restricted her movements the entire way she floated over to him. Their contrasting expressions between them probably said something about how they were both interpreting their situation, him with his arms crossed and an annoyed expression, her with a look of sheer terror.


    ¡°So¡­ You tried to kill me¡­ Anything you have to say for yourself?¡± He asked as if he was talking to a child.


    Fel shrunk in at the question. ¡°Sorry?¡± She answered sheepishly.


    Leo smiled wide and placed his hands on his hips. ¡°Alright, I''ll accept your apology¡­ After you yield.¡±


    ¡°I¡­yield.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 33

    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was currently in the process of reviewing the newest thing added to her long list of regrets, as she yielded to Leo and felt the magic of her oath wash over her.


    When an oath is made, the mana between both parties is used to bind it, and each person can essentially feel the size of the other''s mana pool. So when she felt his mana, she was completely shocked, since it was as big as a dragons. The largest amount of mana she felt from another race was like comparing a stream to a river, and that was with an arch mage. The size of Leo''s was actually a little bigger than hers at her peak, which made her decide to not fuck around with the duel, since he actually had a chance of winning.


    Unlike a contract which could be broken, an oath was something that couldn''t be backed out of, because it compulses the person to pay the terms of the arrangement. As soon as she realized that her summon might have the power to back up his confidence, she resolved to end the fight as quickly as possible.


    The silver haired woman was unfortunately running at a little above half mana. So already handicapped, she chose to not get into a battle of mana endurance, and relied on her physical power as a dragon. But she wasn''t going to fully transform like some prideful idiot, that would have only made her a bigger target.


    She had thought it would be enough to just catch him to make him submit, but managing that in of itself was an infuriating task. He could fly nearly as fast and as well as a dragon, which made little sense since flight magic was supposed to be clunky compared to actual flight.


    The man could also use an absurd variety of magic, some of which she had never heard of before much less seen. Being able to create lava, un-create lava, make the floor insanely slick, and have a thin mana shield that could shrug off a dragon''s strength.


    It was when he taunted her that she lost it for the first time during the fight, and she became even more infuriated when he slipped out from underneath her.


    It was a conflicting decision, but losing control of everything wasn''t worth trying to keep him alive, and seeing that the town wasn''t in line of sight, she decided to kill him with a dragon''s most powerful ability. She pitifully thought that it would at least be a quick death as she let loose the massively overpowered beam of destruction, but when she finished he was just¡­floating there.


    That attack took a lot out of her, yet he wasn''t even singed. ¡®Just what the hell did you bring onto this world?¡¯ Her mentor''s voice rattled around in her head, utterly shocked at what she was seeing.


    Then she felt something grip firmly around her entire body, as if the air itself decided to give her a hug, and was then pulled toward the unsmiling man. The movement felt strange, unnatural, as she felt like she was falling toward him and not the ground.


    The dragoness tried everything to break free from the strange magic, from flailing around with mana filled limbs to trying to fly out of it with her wings, but she didn''t even feel like she could move out of it. The unseen grip around her tightened to the point that she was unable to move as she reached him, and for the first time in her life she felt the fear of death come from someone other than a dragon.


    What''s more was that he was still treating the duel like a joke, which made realization crash into her as the oath finished.


    ¡®Asking how the magic on the last summon worked, flinging fire at me at the very start, using a variety of spells, the increasing difficulty of the fight, and not using whatever this magic is at the beginning of the duel to end it¡­¡¯


    Dumbstruck and a little amazed, she stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You were testing me¡­¡± She said as he let go of the spell holding her.


    ¡°I would make a ha ow to trayn yur dr ag-ons joke, but it would probably be in poor taste. That, and you wouldn''t get it. But yeah, I needed to see how strong you guys actually were, and I gotta say, fucking impressed.¡± He responded with a grin.


    Seeing as how she was the one who lost, the prideful woman couldn''t help but frown at the remark. ¡°You could have killed me from the start, how did I Impress you?¡± She asked incredulously.


    He glanced at the scorched earth behind him, then back to her. ¡°You''re serious?¡± He said while pointing a thumb over his shoulder.


    She narrowed her eyes, not at all satisfied by his response. ¡°You shrugged it off like it was nothing! You might as well be a minor god.¡± She remarked irritably.


    A shit eating grin crossed his face. ¡°Nah, even I felt a little toasty in my safety bubble.¡±


    ¡®What the fuck did I summon¡­?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Any normal person would have been angry at the outright attempted murder, but if anything, Leo was still more pissed about being watched over in the forest while slowly dying of thirst. He also understood why she tried to, since everything was on the line for her, and he probably would have made the same choice if he was in her shoes.


    ¡®Years of planning and effort, stolen¡­ Maybe I should hold back on the insults. I only did this to stop them from totally fucking with my plans, and I guess I''ve also gained access to a possible continent wide rebel network. So that''s a bonus?¡¯


    Fel nervously started rubbing the side of her arm. ¡°So, what now?¡± She asked as some of her more dragon-like additions started to vanish.


    He considered the question for a moment before answering. ¡°Well, you debrief me on everything. I want to know what I''m working with, and what outside support you have.¡±


    She tensed as she looked away from him with a frown. ¡°As you wish¡­master¡­¡± She finished softly.


    It took a moment more than it should have for him to process those words. ¡°Excuse me?¡± He asked while being very taken aback.


    The previously argumentative woman grimaced and shrunk in on herself. ¡°I''m sorry, would you prefer lord or arch mage?¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ¡­ I''d prefer that you not act like a servant, you are not my slave.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose, believing that there might have been a misinterpretation of the stakes, or the oath was just that powerful.


    The defeated woman furrowed her brow, and eyed him with a little disbelief. ¡°But I am oath-bound to follow your orders...and¡­¡± She trailed off while muttering something inaudible to him.


    ¡°What was that?¡± He questioned with a raised eyebrow.


    Fidgety, she went on to answer a bit sheepishly. ¡°Well¡­ Socially among the dragons, it is a not uncommon practice for the opposite sex winning in a formal duel to take the loser as a mate¡­¡±


    The earth born man shut his eyes for a moment. ¡®What is my life right now¡­?¡¯ He thought before concern crossed his expression. ¡°Wait, so what would have happened if I lost?¡±


    ¡°In the eyes of our society¡­ Well¡­¡± She trailed off uncomfortably.


    He blinked in confusion, then incredulously asked. ¡°You fucking serious?!¡±


    Somewhat tepidly she gave him a defiant look and questioned defensively. ¡°That part is more cultural than binding! And do you think any other race is crazy enough to challenge a dragon to a duel, much less win it?¡±


    He opened his mouth to argue, but realized that she was right. ¡®That one''s on me for doing more development than research and not looking into the dragons¡­¡¯


    ¡°Okay, first off, you are not owned by me, and the oath only extends to the rebellion as far as I''m concerned. Second, I''m not going to force any kind of relationship, no matter what your society dictates.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    She visibly relaxed and let out an awkward chuckle. ¡°That''s a bit of a relief, though I''m not against sleeping with you, even though you are a bit of an asshole. I''m curious about how well you hold up your title.¡±


    The sigh that escaped him was unavoidable, because he was still not used to how open this world was about sex. ¡°Of course you are¡­¡± He briefly mused if he should put a bonk enchantment on his staff, but deep down he''d be lying if he said that he didn''t like the attention.


    ¡°How long can your males go for anyway?¡± He asked curiously, wanting to break the ice a little more while they started back toward the gate, but his interest was genuinely piqued when she started to break out into laughter. ¡°I assume that they aren''t nearly as enduring as people made them out to be?¡±


    It took a bit for her to calm herself down enough to respond. ¡°Gods I wish! They have a four day cooldown period.¡±


    He had originally expected it to be a few minutes, maybe a few hours given that the other races need about a day, but not half a week! ¡°Then how did the rumor even start?¡±


    ¡°That''s a two part answer. The first part is obvious, compensating.¡± Fel paused to let out an amused snort. ¡°The second is that they can''t¡­meet our needs. So the women tend to get really pent up, and since none of the other races can even come close to us, we usually go through quite a few until we''re satisfied.¡± She explained tiredly.


    ¡°That''s just depressing¡­¡± There was a certain indescribable feeling of shock and pity that he had while trying to wrap his mind around it.


    She shook her head as if trying to physically shake off the disappointment. ¡°Tell me about it¡­ So would you be willing, or are you just a paper dragon?¡± She jabbed.


    ¡®Even though she did try to kill me, she had her reasons. It would also be fun to see if I can wipe another smug smile off her face. I still want to ask Ela-¡¯


    The thought was cut short by a crying green scaled blur tackling him to the ground.


    _________________________________________


    Glia


    Glia woke up today expecting more or less the same usual boring day. Go to her post, watch the grass for nine hours, then patrol the town for a bit. It was a boring yet peaceful existence. Now though?


    Her world was pretty much fucked.


    Rebels had taken the town without her even knowing, ¡®top notch guard by the way¡¯, and she was about to watch a summon fight a dragon because they had some kind of verbal pissing contest on world domination. She thought that her day couldn''t get more insane, that is until the fight actually started.


    Glia was a simple woman, with a straightforward method of dealing with combat. Stab it until it stopped moving, and if it didn''t, stab it some more. So seeing the insanely destructive fight before her kept her jaw dropped the entire time, unable to look away for even a second, witnessing acts of magic and power that she couldn''t even comprehend.


    When she was told that they were going to fight, she said a silent prayer for Leo, because who in their right mind would challenge a dragon? That sentiment held true for most of the fight, as he was constantly on the defensive. She thought that it was over when Fel finally pinned him down, but she could swear from Fel''s body language that Leo taunted her, which made the selarin actually question his sanity.


    Whatever jab he made was returned, more physically, causing the obsidian scaled woman''s breath to catch at the power she felt from the dragoness striking the ground. Glia thought that the summon''s near scales-length escape would have been the end of it, because no one would continue in the face of that.


    But no, something even more unbelievable happened.


    Glia had heard stories that a dragon''s breath could level towns in an instant, but those stories could never compare to what she witnessed. The beam''s destruction was instant, but her attention was pulled away from it when she heard a stomach curdling scream to her left. It was Elaria, dropped to her knees with her eyes tearing up in horror.


    A wave of sadness washed over Glia, as she knew that Elaria was probably hurting more than any physical abuse she''d ever experienced. To lose a first love is a deep and painful experience, it''s something that even Glia still hasn''t gotten over, and for Elaria to have fallen so hard for Leo, it might just break her again.


    Glia continued to watch Elaria, but noticed that a relieved smile crossed her friend''s face. She turned back to the field and saw that he was simply floating in the path where the beam was, without a single scratch on him. She shared her friend''s relief, but otherwise couldn''t form any kind of coherent thought as the summon pulled his summoner to him with his magic.


    The desperation coming from the dragoness trying to break free made her eyes widen even further in awe. ¡®A dragon is struggling to get away from him?!¡¯ She quickly came to the conclusion that the stories about summons were drastically underselling them too.


    After Leo let Fel down, the two talked for a bit before walking back over to where the selarin trio were watching. Elaria couldn''t seem to wait as she sprinted toward Leo, tackling him onto his back while sobbing heavily into his chest.


    Glia turned to Allis while Leo was comforting Elaria. ¡°Um, I''m not dreaming right? Because the man just won a fight against a dragon, and that''s just a new level of insane¡­¡±


    Allis barely tilted her head to regard Glia, still visibly in the process of coming to terms with what happened as well. ¡°I think, I mean I knew he could kill her if he used a certain spell, but he didn''t use it at all¡­ I think¡­ I think he was testing her¡­¡±


    Glia''s mind blanked at the thought of anyone testing a dragon.


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ Still not sure if this is a dream¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Allis


    The fight was something to behold, and Allis got only a glimpse of what Leo was truly capable of. She had seen mage duels at the academy before, and even though this fight had a power scale that made those look like slap fights, she noticed that they were both being very direct and obvious with their intentions.


    The amazing part was that Leo, for the most part, was in complete control.


    To someone who didn''t know how mages fought, it might look like Leo was running away the entire time, but to any mage with half a brain watching would notice that he wasn''t seriously attacking her. He was just constantly prodding her with different spells.


    Although creative, there wasn''t any real strategy from either side that would be expected in a mage duel.


    If Fel noticed this sooner she might have used her breath a lot earlier, not that it would have made a difference.


    Allis guessed that whatever Leo used to fly, move objects, and defend against a dragon''s breath, works entirely on a different fundamental principle that is completely beyond her.


    She recalled what Leo told her about his first experiment, that he gained control over a fundamental building block of reality, and if he wasn''t over exaggerating, then he might as well be a god. And that was only one thing that he knew how to wield, how many other concepts did he know that could allow him to bend existence to his will?


    When they finally made it to the gate, the somewhat vindictive woman noticed something off about their behavior. They didn''t seem like two people who just fought a life or death battle, nor did they look like they shared any resentment toward each other. So she decided to comment on it first, since it''s what worried her the most.


    ¡°Leo, Fel? Aren''t you two angry about what just happened?¡±


    They both cocked their heads at the question, and let out a simultaneous. ¡°Not really.¡± Which prompted both of them to look at each other in surprise.


    ¡°But I tried to kill you?¡± Fel remarked with a fair amount of confusion.


    Leo shrugged. ¡°Eh, I''m alive, and I understand your reasons. You had everything to lose, plus I was asking for it with how I treated the fight. But aren''t you upset about losing control of, well, everything?¡± He asked curiously.


    Fel shook her head in exasperation. ¡°Nope, after everything you put me through I''m kinda relieved that it''s finally resolved, and you have more or less the same desire to change the kingdom. Even though I tried to kill you, sorry for that by the way, the fight was all about how it was going to be done, not if or should. So as long as it gets done I couldn''t care less.¡± She explained tiredly.


    Allis looked between the two of them and realized for the first time that they acted nearly identical in personality and thought process. She was about to remark on it but then Elaria cut in.


    ¡°You two are surprisingly similar.¡± Commented the green scaled woman.


    The dragoness scoffed before jabbing a thumb in his direction. ¡°Yeah, no. This ass is pretty high on himself.¡±


    The human frowned as he turned to her. ¡°Oh I''m the prideful ass? What happened to join us, or was losing another part of your amazing plan?¡± He asked critically.


    She placed a hand on her hip while rolling her eyes at him. ¡°Of course there are going to be a few bumps when I''m starting to follow your wise example of winging it, but it can''t be that hard for a dragon if a paper one can manage it.¡± She mocked.


    He scoffed as he crossed his arms. ¡°You''d probably let the opportunities pass you by, exactly like how you slid right past me in our duel.¡± He remarked disdainfully.


    She crossed her own arms with narrowed eyes. ¡°I''m surprised that you''d talk about opportunities with how you''re unable to go five sentences without nearly outing yourself in a conversation.¡±


    He barked a laugh. ¡°Hey I was doing just fine before yo-¡±


    The argument was interrupted by Glia irritably shouting.


    ¡°Just fuck already!¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 34

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Elaria couldn''t help but think she was in a fantasy again, completely enraptured by the displays of magic from the duel. She got to see what Leo could do in a fight for the first time, but the knot in her stomach grew as it went on, because battle experience was something she knew all too well¡­


    That wasn''t helped by the fact that he wasn''t taking a dragon seriously, on top of her realizing that he was lacking actual combat experience. She spotted brief slip ups all throughout the fight that could have been capitalized on by Fel, the worst of it being his partial unawareness of his surroundings. If his opponent knew this, she may have used more magic and tactics instead of brute forcing it.


    But that was a dragon for you, and it may have been a moot point with how much power was being thrown around, but that only raised the stakes. Thus, for the most part, she was speechless at how powerful her lover actually was.


    Until Fel used her dragon''s breath.


    Horror washed over her as the beam engulfed him, her mind feeling like it was being physically torn apart with how hard her emotions slammed into her. Fortunately for her, her anguish didn''t last long, all those feelings receding like a tide when the attack gave out.


    The joy and relief she felt from seeing him floating there without a single trace of damage was nearly as overwhelming as that pain, but in a good way. And that feeling of reassurance was bolstered even more when he restrained Fel, something indescribable within her both awed and ecstatic when he ended the fight effortlessly.


    Even if she realized that he apparently could have one at any point, she was unable to shake her trembling from the near loss. And so it was when he started walking back toward her at the gate, that she began to cry once again, her body moving on its own to sprint toward him.


    Tackling him to the ground, she let loose all of the emotions she felt, gripping tightly to him while sobbing heavily into his chest.


    It took an embarrassingly long few minutes for him to calm her down, but they started back over to the rest of the party by the gate after the little episode, her clinging to his arm the entire way.


    Elaria tried to muster some anger toward Fel, but she couldn''t even be irritated. There was simply something in the way the dragoness carried herself that was a mirror of the man she''d fallen for, making her unable to help but see a part of him in her and blunting any negative feelings.


    But when she commented on how similar they were, they seemed to go at each other''s throats, even though they acted friendly right after the fight.


    She had no clue as to why they didn''t like it when it came to comparing one another, and she was even more confused when Glia irritably told them to fuck. The comment stopped their argument in its tracks, and they both stared at Glia in shock as they turned a shade of red.


    The emotionally baffled selarin cocked her head while trying to discern the meaning behind the reaction. ¡®So they don''t hate each other¡­ But it''s just sex, right?¡¯ Given her previous confusion on the topic, there was clearly something she was not understanding.


    Her thought was interrupted when she noticed him with that uncomfortable look she irritably associated with him wanting a confirmation, again. ¡®Alright, this needs to stop¡­¡¯ She thought before she started to pull him away from the rest of the group, suddenly very angry with him.


    ¡°Elaria?¡± He asked in surprise, and nearly tripped when she began yanking him by the arm.


    She continued to pull him away, determined to put an end to the bothersome behavior, but also believing that he should be scolded for a reason she couldn''t quite put her finger on. ¡°Shut up and follow me. Everyone else, I need to talk to Leo alone!¡± They continued to walk along the wall until they were out of earshot from the rest, and only then did she finally let go of him.


    He grimaced and momentarily broke eye contact when she rounded on him with crossed arms and an irritated expression. ¡°Um, I¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°I''m sorry.¡±


    The selarin''s expression grew more stern. ¡°You should be! You need to stop wanting my permission to sleep with other women. It has turned from annoying, to being an actual problem with you.¡± She irritably chided him, and his face instantly fell from chastised to shocked.


    He shot a glance between her and the field with his jaw opening multiple times before he seemed to recompose himself. ¡°I know, but I don''t want to hurt your feelings, especially since you''re just starting to experience deeper emotions. I''d feel like shit if I did.¡±


    Elaria frowned, not at all swayed by the excuse. ¡°Leo, if I learned anything from that whole situation, it''s that sex without real feelings doesn''t mean anything. It''s actually why I''ve held off on being excessively physical with you, because I want to understand my emotions more.¡±


    It took a moment for him to speak, as he seemed to consider her words. ¡°Elaria, It''s just that most of human society really takes commitment to a single partner seriously. Combine that with the fact that I''ve never been in a long term relationship, and I can''t help but want to confirm it with you.¡± He explained while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.


    Elaria sighed exhaustedly, rubbing her temple as she went on to clarify. ¡°Well just to be as clear as I can be, you don''t need to ask. So go ahead and fuck the brains out of as many women as you want, and when you want to have another genuine partner, just talk to me about it. I don''t mind sharing, because as ingrained as your social ethics seem to be, just imagine how I feel. To be honest, I''ve been a little pissed off about you wanting permission for a while now.¡±


    The conflicted looking human had a multitude of expressions cross his face before he nodded in confirmation. ¡°Alright, I understand¡­ And I''m sorry that it had to come to a small intervention for you to get the message through¡­¡± He told her while she nodded in return with a small smile.


    ¡®Hopefully it did this time, because I really don''t want to have this conversation again.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo never truly understood culture shock due to growing up on the internet, networking with people all over the world, and workshopping entire fictional worlds. He had simply been too exposed to give it much thought.


    That is until Elaria''s blind siding intervention.


    Barring a few tiny exceptions, monogamy was probably one of the most universal things about humans, right next to death and taxes, but having his partner scold him for pestering her was not something he could internalize as well as he thought.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®I like how I''m more alright with the life or death magical battle with a dragon, yet the concept of polygamy and a loose sexual relationship is the thing thats fucking with me¡­¡¯ He briefly wondered if that went both ways, but realized that he probably ruined other men for her, which was also something he was having trouble internalizing.


    Those were the main thoughts running through his mind as Leo rejoined the group and started for the guard base, which was now becoming the headquarters for the rebels.


    Glia paced up to talk to him with a slightly nervous expression. ¡°Hey Leo, could I crash with you at the inn? You know, seeing as how I have nowhere to stay.¡±


    The human raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure, but you could still stay at the base. I am the leader now, so it wouldn''t be much of an issue.¡± He pointed out as they turned another corner, but was completely fine with letting her have the room anyway.


    The selarin cringed a bit. ¡°No offence Leo, but I kinda want to stay out of whatever initial hell the academy is going to rain down on Telnar. So sleeping in the heart of where they are going to be shooting for, doesn''t do well for my beauty sleep.¡± She explained with a half hearted chuckle.


    Now that was a very valid point. ¡°Fair. I¡¯ll just need to talk to¡­ Oh, right, Kesl¡­ Wait, the guild!¡± He paused worriedly while he turned to Fel. ¡°What did you do with the merchants guild?¡±


    The dragoness eyed him like he asked something very stupid. ¡°Absolutely nothing. Do you really think that we would screw with a continent wide economic power? We''re nowhere close to even giving them a paper cut without getting our shit kicked in.¡±


    He cocked his head with a little confusion, noticing the back door they left open. ¡°Won''t they contact the rest of the kingdom about this though? I feel like delaying that information for as long as possible would be in our best interests.¡±


    She shrugged and went on to explain casually. ¡°Obviously they will, but the guild itself won''t get directly involved in any conflicts. Maybe support a side financially, but that''s it. And it doesn''t matter if they do, because we plan to be ready within the week, and it''ll take the inquisitors at least twice that long to get here.¡±


    A moment of confusion washed over him, because the guild said that the architect would be here in a few days, and that was coming from another kingdom. ¡°Two weeks? Why would it take them that long if it''s in the same kingdom?¡±


    ¡°It''s not like they are always on standby for an uprising, and it''s partially voluntary. Plus nobles are quite lazy when it comes to travel, preferring comfort over efficiency, so we have plenty of time before they get here. And before you ask, I think we should get to the base before discussing anything further. I still don''t know who could be watching.¡± Fel clarified as she eyed a few alleyways suspiciously.


    Leo became a little skeptical of the need for secrecy, now that she had taken the town. ¡®The cloak I get, but I wonder what would warrant that level of paranoia.¡¯ He thought with a touch of concern.


    When they all reached their destination, Glia said her farewells as she went to get her stuff that she snuck into the base, before she left for the inn. So the remaining four walked further into the building, until they arrived in what looked like a war room the size of a small gymnasium. Dozens of makeshift tables were scattered around the room, with groups of selarins huddled around each of them.


    A dark gray scaled female selarin, as large and bulky as Kesl, was towering over the largest table in the room. She was a bit over seven feet, peppered in scars, and looked fairly aged with squared facial features and amber eyes. They were directing selarins that went back and forth between their table and the smaller groups.


    The sight of so many busy and determined people began to overwhelm Leo''s confidence just a bit, as the weight of what he stepped into started to hit him.


    ¡®This is not where I thought I¡¯d be when I woke up today¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel guided the trio to the main table in the room to inform the former army major of the recent change of leadership, one of the many conversations that she was dreading to have.


    She gave Vesta a mock-salute. ¡°Major, how is the securing of the town going?¡±


    Vesta looked up from the table and quickly gave each member of the group a once over before addressing her. ¡°Ve-sta, I haven''t been a major for years now. As for how it''s going¡­it''s still a chaotic mess, but it''s not like we didn''t expect this given how hard we had to push up the deadline.¡± She paused to quickly address two other selarins before turning back to the group.


    Vesta gave Leo the stink eye. ¡°Speaking of deadlines¡­ I take it this is the thorn in all of our collective ass''s.¡± She remarked irritably.


    Fel sighed heavily. ¡°Yes, as well as our new leader.¡±


    The large woman arched a brow in surprise, but three more selarins appeared around the table before she could ask about it. ¡°Okay, you need to check in with Yez. I''m way too busy for whatever new crap he''s put on my plate. Your new room is just two doors down that hall, all of your stuff is in there.¡±


    Fel led everyone to her room and locked the door. ¡°Leo, would you be so kind?¡± She asked with a gesture to the door.


    He nodded in understanding and cast a sound barrier on the door, while Fel walked over to her pile of stuff on the bed to get her communication orb.


    She wore an expression of dread as she looked at the orb in her hand, really not wanting to contact Yez, but the situation demanded it. ¡°Best get this over with¡­ Yez, are you there?¡±


    The orb lit up after a few moments. ¡°Hey Fel, how did it go? Hopefully you didn''t kill him.¡±


    Fel frowned slightly. ¡°No he''s here. Say hi Leo.¡±


    A slightly fascinated look crossed over the other worlder''s face as he stared at the orb. ¡°Um, hello Yez.¡±


    A faint scoff could be heard from the other end. ¡°It''s a displeasure to finally make your acquaintance. We had everything lined up perfectly with the other kingdoms and you just had to fuck it up, but at least Fel managed to finally get you under control.¡± She remarked bitterly, dropping the summon''s face into visible irritation.


    Fel let out an awkward cough. ¡°Yeah, uh, about that¡­¡± She trailed off nervously.


    ¡°Fel¡­¡± Yez warned.


    Fel explained the whole situation to Yez over the communication orb while the others passively watched. When she was finished the orb was silent for a few minutes.


    The orb was dim. ¡°Fel, I don''t like when you joke about the plan like this.¡± Yez scolded.


    Fel was unable to look directly at the orb, knowing what was about to happen. ¡°It''s...not a joke Yez¡­ I''m bound to follow his orders.¡± She confirmed hesitantly.


    The orb started to grow brighter with each question. ¡°He tricked you, right? He didn''t actually win against you? RIGHT?!¡± Yez desperately asked.


    Leo cut into the conversation with an irritated tone. ¡°Uh, he is still here, and yes I did.¡±


    The orb was dim and silent for a few moments before Yez spoke. ¡°Fel, give the orb to him and take everyone out. I want to speak alone with him for a moment¡­¡±


    Leo smirked as he was handed the orb. ¡°No need to do that, I''ll just cast another sound spell.¡±


    After Leo was secure in the spell, the orb grew insanely bright and he nearly dropped it trying to cover his eyes.


    ¡®Sorry Leo, but you wanted this¡­¡¯ Part of her was glad for someone else helping to ease that particular burden.


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 35

    _________________________________________


    Fel


    -SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AGO-


    Fel pouted as she hung on her grandfather''s armrest. ¡°Pleassss.¡± she pleaded.


    Grandpa chuckled while he adjusted his seat. ¡°Oh alright, but this is the last story.¡±


    Fel lit up with joy. ¡°Yay! Thank you grandpa.¡±


    Grandpa scratched his chin in thought. ¡°Hmmm, so what should I tell¡­ You''re ninety now right?¡±


    Fel perked up proudly. ¡°Yup, I can even fly now! ... But not very high¡­¡± She trailed off at the last part softly.


    A sly smile crossed over the old man''s face. ¡°Well, I think our little flame is ready for some more big dragon stories then. You might also learn something about life.¡±


    Fel brightened back up. ¡°That all life is sacred, and it''s our duty to oversee and safeguard its continued development, so it can be allowed to prosper and grow.¡± She recited.


    The old man''s visage became a little mournful. ¡°Yes, you know the council''s first edict, but hopefully my stories can teach you what those words are supposed to really mean.¡±


    The little dragon became very excited. ¡°Oh! Is it another council story? I love those stories! You had an important seat for a very long time, and you helped stop lots of wars, and saved a lot of people.¡± Fel explained happily.


    The little dragonnet cocked her head, his face sombering expression. ¡°Yes, yes I did. But this story is one before I joined the council. In fact, it''s before the current council was even founded.¡±


    ¡°Woah, that''s a long time ago¡­ Grandpa, you''re old.¡± She remarked bluntly.


    Grandpa let out a deep bellied laugh. ¡°Yes, but don''t call your grandmother that, she might have a fit. And yes this was a long time ago, even before your parents were born.¡±


    Fel''s face grew sad and a little conflicted. ¡°Huh, even older than mama¡­¡±


    Grandpa coughed. ¡°Well this story is about a summon.¡±


    Fel broke out of her thoughts. ¡°A summon?! But aren''t those banned?¡± She asked suspiciously.


    Grandpa exaggeratedly looked around the living room before he leaned in to whisper. ¡°Yes they are, but this isn''t just any summon, it''s the last summon. As well as a close friend.¡±


    Fel looked utterly confused. ¡°Your friend? Wasn''t the last summon evil though? They helped the light people hurt all those other people.¡±


    Grandpa became a little lost in thought before speaking to himself. ¡°N-yes¡­ Yes... She did¡­ She was also a dear friend that taught me many things, and one of them is that the road to hell is paved with good intentions¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    -THIRTY NINE YEARS AGO-


    Fel had just finished her guardian training, and was on her way to shadow an actual guardian at a mage academy in the Gron kingdom. She was excited to finally start watching over the other races and uphold the first edict of the council, and to make her grandparents proud.


    They were the ones to take care of her when her parents abandoned her, and she held no one in higher regard. Their teachings and guidance helped found the basis for her beliefs, and reading hundreds of books about the struggles of all the other races lit a fiery passion to help those in need.


    So as soon as Fel was old enough, she joined the dragon''s guardian core. A body of dragons that were spread all over the continent, whose duty is for the relief and protection of whatever territory they are assigned.


    While Fel was nearing Gron''s academy, she remembered the conversation she had with her grandfather before she left.


    Her grandfather wore a wide smile. ¡°I''m so proud of you, Fel. Of what a beautifully bright flame you''ve become.¡± He said while bringing her into a hug.


    Fel tightened the embrace. ¡°Thank you grandpa, I''ll make sure to visit when I have time.¡± She said before breaking away.


    Her grandmother let out an amused snort. ¡°You better, because he''ll just start repeating the same stories until you bring back some of your own.¡± She jokingly mocked.


    The old man huffed. ¡°My stories are timeless¡­but I could always use a few more. So bring back plenty of interesting ones, and tell Vil''s son to visit his father. That bag of scales won''t stop complaining about it.¡±


    Fel nodded and smiled before exchanging some more heartfelt goodbyes. She also gave a silent apology to her grandfather as she started to fly away, because she wasn''t going to be shadowing Vil''s son. Her grandfather practically begged her to shadow him, but the small territory he resided over was already peaceful and prosperous.


    If she wanted to start helping those in desperate need, then she would need to shadow a dragon in a territory that''s in turmoil. So she changed her shadow to one presiding over a kingdom known for its internal struggles, hoping to assist in any way she could.


    _________________________________________


    -THIRTY EIGHT YEARS AGO-


    Fel was in a standoff with some military soldiers while she shielded a family of gron.


    The noble wore an uneasy expression. ¡°Guardian Fel''aristriza Quitial''tis, please hand over the dissenters. This is an internal matter for the gron, and does not require such an excessive intervention by a guardian.¡± She implored with an emotionless tone.


    ¡°These people have done nothing wrong, their only crime is having a loose relation to a rebel.¡± Fel remarked harshly while scowling at them.


    The noble sneered, but still couldn''t shake her slight trembling. ¡°They sheltered a dangerous traitor to the kingdom, and need to be made an example of.¡±


    Fel''s face warped into anger as she stomped her foot, the force cracking the ground slightly and causing two soldiers to bolt. ¡°Dangerous?! She was the child of a rebel! And I won''t let you do to them what you did to her-¡±


    She was interrupted by a loud crash behind her, causing her to whip around to see the territory''s guardian standing over the mangled bodies of the family she was protecting.


    ¡°W-why?¡± She dropped to her knees in horror.


    The guardian looked disdainfully at her. ¡°I resolved the situation, something you seem to lack the skill for.¡±


    Fel rose to her feet and moved to confront him. ¡°Resolved?! You murd-¡±


    The guardian cut her off by grabbing her by the neck, and hoisting her up to his eye level while wearing an expression of utter contempt. ¡°Listen to me, you little pathetic excuse for a dragon. I have put up with your inane drivel about protecting these weak insects for over a year now, and I''m fucking sick of it.¡± He growled whilst tightening his grip around her neck.


    Fel gripped desperately at his hand. ¡°But-t-he ed-ict.¡± She choked out.


    The guardian snarled. ¡°Were made so that we could more easily lord over these worthless maggots.¡± He paused to throw Fel to the ground. ¡°Not that we couldn''t just do it by force.¡±


    Fel coughed as she gasped for air. ¡°You are a stain on our reputation. The council will-¡±


    The guardian pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Oh gods, how fucking dense are you?! The council doesn''t give a shit about these ants. As long as their power over the academies are held, they couldn''t care less what insect kills another.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± She growled.


    The guardian narrowed his eyes. ¡°Fine, you want to continue your pitiful effort to help creatures whose lifespans are a sixth of ours? Then get the fuck out of my territory, and do it somewhere else! Though I''ll bet it will take a few more guardians to get the truth through your thick skull.¡±


    _________________________________________


    -TWENTY NINE YEARS AGO-


    Fel was in the office of her tenth attempt to shadow another guardian.


    The guardian was rubbing the side of her temples. ¡°Damn it Fel! Why? Why did you kill and burn down the home of an entire family of nobles. The hell were you thinking?!¡±


    Fel had a cold and uncaring look and answered with an edge. ¡°They were kidnapping and torturing dozens of people for gods know how long, all to get off on a power trip.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The guardian scowled. ¡°And you decided to just slaughter them? We have no right to directly interfere with how the kingdom treats its own people, much less killing nobility!¡± She yelled as she leaned forward in her chair.


    Her expression darkened. ¡°I told you before I started shadowing you, that I will not stand for any kind of atrocities. They were lucky that they died so quickly, it was more than they deserved¡­¡± She remarked coldly.


    The guardian leaned back in their chair. ¡°Well now you can''t stay here anymore, and lucky for me, I also have a convenient excuse for you to leave.¡± She spat while tossing her a letter.


    Fel opened the letter, and her eyes grew wide as she began to read as utter fear and shock sank into her very being. ¡°I-I need to go.¡± She said as she ran out of the office.


    Fel rushed outside and immediately took to the sky, flying as fast as she could back to her old home, flying for over a day and a half straight until she reached her destination.


    She burst into the house calling for her grandmother, who appeared not a moment later with an expression of deep sadness. Fel was going to ask about her grandfather, but she was cutoff.


    ¡°Two days ago¡­¡± Her grandmother stated mournfully.


    The words sank into her very being while tears started to pour down her face, and her expression warped into sheer agony as her grandmother rushed over to comfort her.


    After finally calming down, her grandmother pulled out two letters that her grandfather left for her. ¡°He said to only give you one of these, and that you have to decide how you want to remember him.¡± Her eyes grew distant and heavy.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fel choked out a confused response, still emotionally coming to terms with the loss.


    Her grandmother grimaced. ¡°Your grandfather¡­¡± She paused and winced, as if a long painful memory cut into her. ¡°Please¡­.Just¡­answer a few questions he left for you.¡± She finished with a hard determination, and Fel simply nodded numbly.


    The first question. ¡°Now that you know the truth about how our people act, can you still continue to burn brightly?¡±


    Fel bit her lip, now understanding who he wanted her to guardian over a peaceful territory. ¡°No¡­ Haven''t for a while now...¡± She answered sadly with a shake of her head.


    The second question. ¡°If you can''t, then are you determined to try?¡±


    Fel barked a half hearted laugh. ¡°Of course, because I couldn''t stop if I wanted to.¡± And a small part of her really did.


    The final question. ¡°Are you willing to sacrifice another precious image of a false truth, even if it will poison your memory of me?¡±


    Fel paused before she answered, and considered her next words carefully. ¡°If it''s false, then the memory is already poisoned. So yes.¡± She answered truthfully, but was deeply unsettled by the question.


    Her grandmother put up a hard expression while she tried desperately to hold back her tears. ¡°Then take this letter if you want to know the truth, and what you do with it is up to you. Or take this one if you want to continue to remember him fondly.¡±


    Fel took the truth without hesitation, and opened it up as her grandmother left to get something.


    [ My dear Fel''aristriza, I''m sorry.


    I should have told you the truth instead of allowing those books of lies to fill your head, and I should have stopped you from joining the guardians before you had to witness the way our people truly treat the other races, but an old sick part of me hoped you would march on.


    So for you to fully understand my story, I''ll have to tell you the actual truth of the council''s history, one that very few of us still know. During the age of progress, our kind was hunted for various reasons, and yes as hard as it is to believe now, we were killed to near extinction. And as many dragons know, the wrath of terra was our fault, but it was far from an accident.


    In a bit of desperation, a large group of dragons pulled their desire together to summon such a large-scale force of destruction that even the gods had trouble dealing with it, and when the dust settled, the dragons would have the time to regain their footing. This is when the council actually formed, but it worked in secret from the other races.


    Fearing that another hunt would inevitably happen, they set a plan in motion. A plan that would stretch over tens of thousands of years, and set up the entirety of the eleventh era. The whole of the era of subjugation was designed to keep the races weakened, while the dragons strengthened their numbers.


    As you know, the summon that helped them was immortal. That was intentional. The plan for the end of that era was for the dragons to swoop in and liberate all the races, while leaving her with all the blame. Then, set up the academies in all the kingdoms under the guise of spreading our knowledge, but it was just to make sure we stayed in control of magical research.


    I''ve told you many stories about the summon, but not what she did or her role during that era. She was portrayed as a power behind the throne, but in actuality she was a prisoner that was just waiting for her time to come.


    Unfortunately for the council, the lightborn surprisingly didn''t want to play the part of the villain and give up all their power. They threatened to expose the truth, and so the council had to alter the plans.


    The council could not risk another hunt, and even though we were now united and strong enough to shrug off anything that existed in that era, we took the most extreme action against them, extermination.


    I was young, only a hundred ten, when the order came. My job was to capture and watch over the summon while the extermination took place, and I personally leveled a quarter of the lightborns capital city, as well as killing most of the royal family.


    The extermination took fifteen years, and in that time I grew close to the summon. I learned of her world, that it was a floating city that used to watch over a race that looked much like us. To say that I was enraptured would have been putting it lightly, and yet I knew what was to be her fate. So when the deadline finally came, I did nothing_________


    I still wake up sometimes, and see her asking me why didn''t you do anything________


    After the events of the eleventh there was a silent agreement to never speak of the truth of what happened, and the council even stripped all the records so that there would be no proof of it. Only a few generations later and the truth was lost to history.


    So now that you know the truth, I will leave you with a bit of information. It''s up to you whether you want to follow the path that I was too late to tread, but if you do, then please remember what I told you all those years ago. The one thing that my dear friend tried to make me understand, but I realized way too late.


    The road to hell is paved with good intentions. ]


    Fel just held the letter, tears streaming down her face as everything she''d ever been taught seemed to wash away into an outright lie. Everything she trained for, everything she believed in, and the whole of her life up to the moment had just been a complete and utter waste. So she just sat on the couch for hours as she tried to organize her thoughts, beliefs, and motivations.


    Logically she wanted to be angry at him for leading her on, and letting her believe that everything that her race was built on was noble. To be angry that he just fed her lies upon lies, just to give her false comfort. Yet she could only feel a deep indescribable sadness.


    ¡°He''s gone¡­¡± Fel trailed off as she looked up at the ornate box in front of her.


    Her grandmother placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°He told me to give this to you after you were done reading.¡±


    She hesitantly opened the box, not knowing if she could handle another world shattering truth. Inside she found a communication orb with a letter that had a large bold name across the fold.


    ¡°Yez''iquitzia Galistre.¡±


    _________________________________________


    -SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO-


    Fel was in a large fortress on an island, miles from the main continent, as she trained under Yez''s watch


    Yez looked un-amused. ¡°Again.¡± She commanded.


    Fel was close to throwing up. ¡°Why¡­ Do I¡­ Need¡­ Fuck, my head¡­¡± She stumbled while rubbing her temple.


    Yez sighed exhaustedly. ¡°You need to have a solid and clear visualization of what you want, or else when you actually summon something, then It could and would kill you. So making your constructs as detailed and intricate as you can from all your reading will help you have a clear intent for what you want. So go again.¡± She ordered with little sympathy.


    Fel started to regain her composure. ¡°Do we even...Fuck...Need a summon? I mean the last one didn''t even do anything.¡± She questioned while getting over her migraine.


    Her mentor frowned. ¡°The last one may have not done anything directly, but you can''t underestimate the power of a summon, especially if your intent is clear. Remember how many of the eras were because of a summon.¡± She cautioned.


    Fel groaned at the reminder. ¡°How could I ever forget¡­?¡±


    Yez sighed. ¡°If it still hurts so much, then I''ll have the rekindled pull more books out of the storage. You will have to do a lot more reading to sharpen that mind of yours so you can get this right.¡±


    An exasperated expression crossed over Fel, because that meant she would be forced to make dozens of scenery constructs from her imagination. ¡°Gods, why do I have to be the one to do it anyway?¡±


    The older dragon shrugged. ¡°Fresh blood mostly. Unlike the others who are already working on other things, you are the most available to be trained.¡±


    Fel rolled her eyes. ¡°Lucky me¡­¡±


    Yez arched her brow while a slightly sadistic smile spread across her face. ¡°Oh? You want to go for a little more before you quit for the day? Well, aren''t you a dedicated student.¡±


    ¡®Kill me now¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    -TWELVE DAYS AGO-


    Fel was miles outside of Telnar, and she was beyond pissed. She had been trying to get the summoning spells cast to go through for over five hours now, and absolutely nothing was happening. The intent she was supposed to be visualizing was of a person that had a neutral personality, the knowledge to help them finish their goals successfully, and could learn magic quickly. Unfortunately the summoning spell seemed to fail every time she tried to cast it, so on her last attempt she was so emotional that her desires burst into the spell.


    Her desire to have all of her frustrations, anger, and pain in life to be solved seemed to be pulled endlessly into the spell, and she could feel something that was a part of her drift away a bit.


    ¡®Uh oh¡­¡¯


    Fel realized what happened as she felt the spell finish, and then she immediately flew into the sky, because she may have made a colossal fuck up. The whole reason that she was summoning in such a secluded area was because of the chance of summoning something immensely dangerous, and that was with all the preparation. Now that she used desire there was no telling what would be brought to this world, and she could already imagine Yez losing it when she eventually tells her.


    After a massive thudding sound, a man popped into existence a few feet above some bushes. After falling onto his back he seemed to be in a bit of a daze as he shakily got to his feet. When Fel eyed the man from the sky, her enhanced sight allowing her to count the hairs on his head if she wanted to, she became very confused.


    The man looked like a mish mash of a bunch of races, and she considered that the desire may have had something to do with that. The man started yelling in an unknown language, most likely calling for help.


    Fel decided to watch him from a distance, as she started to subtly guide him to Telnar.


    ¡®Huh, he seems a little¡­weak. Maybe he won''t be too much trouble?¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 36

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo found that today was the day that just kept on giving, and oh was he receiving. He met and dueled his dragon kidnapper, was scolded by his girlfriend for not fucking other women, became the leader of a rebellion, and he was now being berated by a lightbulb¡­


    ¡®I wonder if I''m just tripping on drugs in my apartment right now¡­¡¯ He genuinely considered it as a possibility.


    The orb continued to shine brightly. ¡°...and utter piece of shit!¡± Yez yelled before finally finishing her tirade.


    The human looked back to the orb, as its light was no longer blinding. ¡°You done?¡± He questioned emotionlessly.


    An audible tsk could be heard from the other end. ¡°Far from it, but I think I''ve vented enough, at least until I''ve met you in person.¡± Yez answered him irritably.


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°So I think some proper introductions are finally in order, unless you want to shine another flashlight in my face¡­?¡±


    The orb dimmed. ¡°What''s a- Whatever. My full name is Yez''iquitzia Galistre, but call me Yez. I am a dragon, as well as the leader and founding member of the rebellion, so I manage and oversee all of the progress being made in turning all of the kingdoms.¡±


    ¡®Huh, I wonder if all dragons only use the first few letters¡­¡¯ He thought curiously before answering with a slight frown. ¡°My full name, not that it matters anymore, is Leonardo Alexander Erizmendiz, but I just go by Leo. I am the summon that you''ve oh so kindly stranded in a forest for nearly three days. Still want an explanation on that by the way.¡±


    The orb''s light was low and consistent. ¡°location was because we didn''t want to accidentally summon something that could go on a rampage and kill countless people, and as for how long¡­ Well, we only have rumors and myths to work off of, but more often than not a summon would just fuck off and do there own thing. We wanted to have you struggle a bit while you settled into Telnar, then when the academy attacked, you would have animosity toward them for destroying your new found life and would be way more compliant in joining us.¡± She explained candidly, dropping the conversation into silence as what she said slowly sunk in.


    ¡°Hello? You just si-¡± Her prompting was cut off as he dropped into a rage filled tirade against the manipulative woman.


    ¡°A bit?! I was eating bark and munching on grass while slowly dying from dehydration, for three days! And what do you mean more compliant?! That is the most idiotic, manipulative, fucked up, and round about way of asking for help! How you came up with that and are the leader of a continent wide effort is beyond me, because it makes me question your competence way more than the fucking laser pointer! And good job having me struggle when I got to Telnar, It was a real gauntlet with how hard it was to beco-¡±


    The orb grew very bright. ¡°Fucking hell, I get it, sorry for being a piece of shit! But in my defense, I am managing over thirty other groups, struggling with the preservation of an entire race, and all while trying to remain undetected from a council of ruthless dragons that would see us all put in a fucking torture sphere if given the option! So excuse me for giving low priority to what was supposed to be an advisory asset, if it was done right!¡± She yelled defensively, giving him pause.


    ¡®Over thirty¡­ Maybe I should lay off the criticism, because even I got a little overwhelmed from just walking into the war room, and all that was only for taking the town¡­¡¯


    He still wanted to rip into the woman for such a mind numbingly shit plan, but he settled for scowling at the orb. ¡°Okay, fine. Can you now fill me in as for why you''re going through all this? I mean I get that the dragons are basically lording their power over all the other races, but what reason would you have to want to go against them?¡±


    The orbs light dimmed. ¡°Ask Fel, I don''t have the time to explain it all since you know nearly nothing about our world. I''d rather spend this time getting to know what you are, since you can apparently win a fight against us, and shrug off our breath.¡± Yez remarked skeptically.


    ¡®Yeah, I''d imagine she would have more on her plate than even that major, so best keep this short and simple.¡¯


    ¡°I know a lot.¡± It was admittedly too bare bones of an answer now that he said it aloud.


    ¡°And?¡± She prodded.


    He sighed and gave his usual explanation for how he used magic, along with the general scope of what his knowledge encompassed, and Yez was silent for a few moments after he was done. ¡°You''re a god then¡­¡±


    The words made him wince. ¡°No, I just know a lot.¡± He corrected her.


    ¡°Mortal yes, but with magic you''re pretty close.¡± She countered.


    There was no legitimate argument that would completely refute the claim, so he opted to ignore it, not wanting to add demi god to his list of titles. ¡°So, about me being in charge of the rebellion in Selaria?¡± He inquired, trying to redirect the conversation.


    An exhausted sigh could be heard on the other end of the orb. ¡°I will have to talk with Fel, but as long as you are more or less doing it for the same reasons, then I don''t care who''s in charge. To be honest I was close to writing off the effort in that kingdom anyway, but since things have finally resolved themselves, I''ll send whatever small support that I can. Just make sure to keep yours and Fel''s Identity secret, and hopefully in a few decades you''ll have control of selaria.¡± She explained while sounding a little fatigued.


    ¡°Decades?!¡± He yelled in surprise.


    The orb continued dimly. ¡°Taking control of a kingdom isn''t as simple as killing everyone in charge. You need support, financially and politically.¡± She remarked as if he said something foolish, and the attitude was starting to grate on his nerves.


    ¡°I know, but that''s way too long, since I think I could probably do it in less than a year.¡± His plan to lay low was essentially shot dead with Telnar being taken. And he also believed that if the rest of her plans were as bad as the one she had for him, then he wanted nothing to do with them.


    The orb brightened. ¡°Well if you want my support then you''ll need to follow my orders.¡± Yez had a commanding edge to her tone, as if there were consequences for not taking her help. ¡°So the fir-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The orb spiked in brightness. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Yez questioned offendedly.


    Leo narrowed his eyes at the orb, getting the sense that this woman was way more controlling than he first thought. ¡°Just to make myself clear, I am working with you, not for you. So in regards to your support¡­¡± He paused with a shit eating grin. ¡°Didn''t ask, don''t need it, go fuck yourself.¡±


    There was a surprising amount of venom in his last few words, making him come to terms with never getting over his stint in the woods.


    The orb grew very dim. ¡°Can you give the orb to Fel? I need to talk to her in private.¡± Yez asked with a bit of an edge.


    ¡®Well that''s as subtle as a brick through a window¡­¡¯


    ¡°You''re going to tell her to kill me, aren''t you?¡± He deadpanned at the orb.


    The orb''s light sharpened a bit. ¡°No, she''s my student and I need to address the oath that she''s bound by¡­¡± Yez trailed off a bit coldly.


    ¡®Riiiight¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was now in an awkward situation, left with Elaria and Allis while Leo talked with Yez.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°So¡­ I don''t think we''ve properly introduced ourselves. I''m Fel, dragon and former leader of the rebellion in Selaria¡­¡± She introduced herself a little awkwardly, and the two selarin gave each other a look before turning back to her.


    ¡°You''ve been spying on us for days, you already know who we are.¡± Elaria said with a slight irritation.


    Fel shrunk a bit. ¡°Right¡­¡± She trailed off sheepishly.


    A few more awkward minutes passed before Allis broke the silence with a cough. ¡°Um, Fel? If you don''t mind me asking, how did you summon Leo?¡±


    ¡®Oh thank the gods, a conversation starter¡­¡¯


    ¡°Well, I first had to have an insane level of concentration and visualization. It took a few years of training my mind to be able to casually do things like this.¡± She set to visualizing one of her practice constructs.


    In moments a palm-sized mana construct was created in her outstretched hand, made up of hundreds of small interconnected gears of varying sizes. The gears themselves looked a little worn with a texture that could be compared to an actual gear, and each one was unique visually. She then pushed a small amount of mana into one of the largest gears, and every gear inside started to turn in response to the first.


    Elaria looked at the construct with passive fascination, while Allis gaped at it in utter shock.


    The fairly average mage was unable to look away from the construct as she spoke, her eyes a little wide while they were fixated on it. ¡°And is this why it''s so hard to summon a living creature?¡±


    Fel shook her head before going on to explain. ¡°Only dragons can summon living things, as far as I know. The reason we dragons can is because our second form is not actually in this world, and we use that connection to be able to more easily pull something else that''s not us into this one, but at the cost of harming the connection to our other form. So on top of some other training, I needed to strengthen my connection to my other form to the point where I could be able to bring over just a single scale, because I could have lost my ability to change entirely if I didn''t.¡±


    Elaria perked up in realization. ¡°Oh, so it''s not sacrificing a dragon, but a dragon''s sacrifice¡­ Wait, that means dragons were sort of responsible for the three conquest eras.¡± She finished with an unease to her tone, and rightly so.


    ¡°Ehhh¡­ Not just¡­¡± Fel trailed off with a wince, and both Elaria and Allis gave her a very concerned look.


    The silver haired dragoness shifted uncomfortably again while she picked at her horn. ¡°I''ll tell you about it after Leo''s done talking to Yez, she probably won''t have time to fill him in on it anyway.¡± She deflected, and not a moment later Leo walked over to her to hand her the orb.


    ¡°Your teacher wants to talk to you in private, and the sound barrier is still up over there.¡± He pointed out the space before taking a seat next to the two selarins.


    She walked over to the spot and cocked her head at the orb. ¡°Yez, you needed something?¡±


    The orb was dim. ¡°Kill him.¡± Yez ordered.


    Fel blinked in confusion while taking a second to process the words. ¡°What, why?¡± She questioned dumbly, wondering how he managed to piss the woman off this much after one conversation.


    The orb brightened. ¡°He''s a fucking liability to everything, and seems as stubborn as you.¡± She spat.


    The summoner scowled at the comparison. ¡°While I agree that he draws in trouble way too often for anyone''s wellbeing, he is nowhere near as bad as me.¡± She remarked defensively.


    An irritated groan could be heard from the other end of the orb. ¡°Fel, for two straight years you kept trying to argue for us to just tell the other races the truth, and go to war against the council.¡± She chided.


    Looking back on it she couldn''t help but cringe at the memory, and how irrational she was. ¡°I was just angry¡­¡± She trailed off sheepishly.


    The orb emitted a constant glow. ¡°As well as direct, impatient, and a walking headache, just like him. The only difference is that he''s a mortal with the power of a minor god, so his head is probably even farther up his ass than the average dragon.¡±


    Fel frowned deeply at being compared again. ¡°He and I are noth-¡± She was cut off.


    The orb sharpened in brightness. ¡°Fel! You used desire! Whether you want to acknowledge it or not is irrelevant, because he''s more or less a reflection of you and your wants.¡± She stated harshly.


    Fel was going to argue again, but begrudgingly accepted that Yez was correct. She also came to a stark realization that if he is a reflection of her with so much power, and had so many aligned views, then why would she want to kill him?


    ¡®You''d probably let the opportunities pass you by.¡¯ Leo''s words floated to the surface of her mind.


    Even though Fel thought fondly of Yez as a friend, as a leader her methods were beyond grading. She believed that Yez''s plans took too long and were way too cautious and convoluted to get anything done within their lifetime, but she didn''t have an alternative, other than trying to build her own rebellion from scratch.


    So she followed her orders with varying degrees of contempt for them, even some of the ones that went against her morals. She always wanted to push just a little faster, but Yez withheld support every time she seemed to step out of line.


    The only time she''d agreed to speed the plan was when Leo progressed too quickly, all on his own. Otherwise she would have had to wait an entire year to take Telnar, and it would have been another slightly agonizing wait while she slowly coasted along with the plan.


    ¡®But with Leo¡­¡¯ Her thoughts trailed off as her mind began to put together a new path for her to tread.


    A wide and greedy smile spread across her face. ¡°No¡±


    The orb''s light dropped in brightness. ¡°What¡­?¡± Yez trailed off speechlessly, causing Fel''s smile to widen and her tail to whip in amusement.


    ¡°I said, no. I won''t kill him, in fact I''m joining him.¡± There was also the matter of the oath, but there were technically a few ways to break it without breaking it, not that she cared about doing that anymore.


    The orbs light spiked. ¡°Fel, what the hell are you thinking?!¡± Yez yelled angrily.


    The prideful dragon scoffed, the smile on her face making the reaction mocking. ¡°I''m thinking that a ripe opportunity has presented itself, because with how fast and easily he''s been gaining wealth and power, I don''t need to follow your slow ass plans anymore.¡± She responded snarkily, taking a certain kind of joy in having a better hand than the manipulative woman for once.


    The orb brightened significantly. ¡°Fucking-Fel! I won''t give those rebels any more support if yo-¡± The sounds of small cracks cut her off.


    ¡°Sorry- I- think the- is breaking-¡± She grinned maniacally while tightening her grip around the orb, until it inevitably shattered.


    ¡®Fuck that felt good.¡¯


    Satisfied with her decision, she noticed Leo grinning at her like a madman after she dusted off the shards and walked out of his sound spell, causing her to shake her head and smile a bit. ¡°You were listening, weren''t you?¡± She asked him with a chuckle.


    The man raised an eyebrow and smirked, his expression radiating amusement. ¡°Why wouldn''t I? Especially with Yez being sooo subtle with wanting to kill me.¡± He answered sarcastically.


    Now that Fel was finally out from underneath Yez''s claws, she felt like a heavy weight was taken off her chest. ¡°Slow, methodical, paranoid, and over controlling? Yes. Able to hide her intentions and motives well? No.¡±


    Leo slumped his shoulders at the remark. ¡°Sounds like a wonderful boss¡­ And speaking about motives, mind telling me why a bunch of dragons have it out for their own council?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but Allis and Elaria might want to prepare for this one, and this might take the rest of the day to explain.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Elaria and Allis were visibly and utterly shocked when Fel finished explaining, but Leo''s interest was only loosely peeked. The revelation of the last few eras may have overwhelmed the two native selarin, but it was just more lore dumping to the fresh faced human. He was more interested in the motive of that era to hunt the dragons, and even more so in how anyone managed to kill them.


    ¡®So there must have been an actual tech boom during the age of progress, and dragons may have been the equivalent of a gold rush for¡­something? Maybe relating to their abilities to summon, or their transformations? Eh whatever, it''s not important right now.¡¯


    He yawned, the activities of the day finally getting to him. ¡°Well if we''re done, then I''d like to head back to the inn to get some sleep. It''s getting late, and I am really just done with today.¡±


    Fel cocked her head. ¡°Since you''re in charge now, why not stay here?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I don''t feel comfortable in a small fortress filled with heavily armed strangers. That, and I have to wait for the architect, since they''ll be here any day now. Also I may be officially in charge, but you know these people better than me, so continue with whatever you were planning and fill me in on it tomorrow¡­or maybe the day after? I think I need a break after today¡­¡± He explained with a casual shrug.


    Fel nodded, and as Allis, Elaria, and Leo started to leave the base, Elaria told him that she was going to stay with Allis for the night to discuss something private, so he would have to head back to the inn by himself.


    ¡­


    The man''s mind was slightly clouded with drowsiness while he walked back to the inn, lacking any brain power to expend for anything else besides the comfort of a warm bed. When he finally got to his room he took a quick shower and headed for bed, but someone snuck up from behind and pressed themselves against his back half way into the room.


    ¡°So¡­ I think I was promised something nearly a week ago¡­¡± A familiar voice seductively whispered into his ear.


    ¡®Oh, right, Glia¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 37

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Elaria was helping Leo out of bed while Allis did the same for Glia, and the four of them made their way up to the inn''s dining area to continue waiting for the architect.


    Leo may have overexerted himself with way too much yesterday, because he fought a dragon and became mentally exhausted from a bunch of revelations and constant arguments. So ending the day with a pleasurable evening with Glia may have been a little too much for his body to handle.


    Elaria seemed to have a self satisfied expression plastered across her face ever since laying sight on the both of them, and was more than willing to assist in their relocation, but Allis seemed a little disappointed that she missed out on such activities.


    ¡®Next time Allis, and definitely without the venom.¡¯ He mentally noted to himself with a sigh.


    When he got comfortable at one of the tables, he felt the all too familiar gazes of lust directed toward him. Looking around he noticed that the stares were back with a vengeance, all because he forgot to cast a sound barrier on the room. After last night with no sound barrier, as well as a few people that were spying, not even him being known as a mage was going to deter people from running wild with their imaginations.


    ¡®The staff idea was nice while it lasted¡­¡¯ He thought as he opened his sketchbook to further clean up the rune system for his rifle.


    After a few hours of everyone chatting among themselves, mostly about each other and the rebels in town, Fel entered the inn. She was wearing her not too breathable looking cloak as she walked over to their table. ¡°So my morning could have gone better¡­¡± She remarked exhaustedly.


    He closed and put away his sketchbook, while double checking the sound barrier before he spoke. ¡°Did something happen at the base?¡±


    His summoner sighed heavily. ¡°I explained the full situation to the major, and she was less than pleased. I believe her exact words were, doesn''t matter if it''s the military or a rebellion, the higherups will always find a way to fuck me with a pissing contest. She also brought up a few other problems that you now have to resolve.¡± She finished pointedly.


    The rightly obstinate human grimaced, remembering the threat Yez made. ¡°Let me guess, supplies, since Yez has such a beating heart for the cause.¡± He disliked losing out on a potential ally, but being treated like a game piece on someone else''s board was not going to fly with him.


    ¡°She does care, but she''s a control freak, and even though we dragons are very self aware of our tendency for being stubborn, it''s only in regards to certain traits or beliefs. And yes, it''s about supplies. The army needs about fifty gold a month to-¡±


    A small thud of chiming metal interrupted the dragoness, the recently windfallen lord having tossed a bag full of gold coins onto the table in front of her. ¡°There''s a hundred. Go nuts.¡± He remarked bluntly.


    Her hooded head darted between him and the bag before pocketing it. ¡°Well that was easier than I thought. Yez used to only feed us some silver and goods every week.¡± She said with a small chuckle.


    ¡°And that''s just another reason why I am actually the superior option.¡± He teased with a smug expression.


    ¡°Yet to be seen¡­¡± Fel huffed, though he somehow knew that she was very much enjoying the change in leadership. ¡°Which brings me to our next problem, support. We had an entire web of informants from in and around Selaria, but most of that has now been cut, and only a few of the most committed are probably still in contact.¡±


    Spy networks were the definition of sketchy, but they were plenty useful in getting a feel for current or potential opposition. ¡°Okay, then have the people that are still with us try to build back up those connections again. The only reason we lost them is because of trust, so it''s going to take some time to regain that, but they will most likely come to us once they see we''re worth a damn to work with.¡±


    Fel nodded, and Leo could feel a sort of approval from her without any indication of such, he just sort of knew. ¡°The last problem we have is not an immediate one, but we need to start thinking about expansion. Yez always spoon fed us what to do, giving us a general idea and working out the details slowly, so we don''t know what to do after the academy''s attack.¡±


    ¡®Yeah¡­my long term plans kinda got fucked as well, and now I''m stuck on a collision course with the people who control the kingdom. I can easily deal with the inquisitors, fuck that''s still a stupid name, but if they send an actual army it might draw the councils attention if I send them all packing my self. Escalation breeds more escalation¡­ Gonna have to finish up my rifle, but I would like to use something less lethal. I don''t want to kill or permanently wound future subjects because that doesn''t make a happy population¡­ Stun rifles maybe? Wait, getting off track. She said expansion, I don''t want to take over by force, or even take over to begin with¡­ Unfortunately, the town is already mine, wait! Maybe I don''t have to give up on my previous plan!¡¯


    A cunning smile crossed his face. ¡°Hey, Fel. Do you know what a city state is?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    As Leo finished explaining the concept of a city state, everyone at the table looked at him with a mixture of shock and disbelief, because Leo would be establishing himself as a king.


    Elaria was especially shocked, since she would end up being a queen. ¡®I don''t think I could handle that¡­¡¯ She thought worriedly, her gut churning at the prospect of certain relatives finding out.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°So you want to be a king¡­¡± Allis said what everyone was thinking.


    The crazy human looked appalled at the remark. ¡°Hell no! But it''s the most efficient way to get Selaria to back off after the academy attacks. They wouldn''t want to waste the effort on a border town with little strategic gain, especially one that manages to repel a squad of mages. It shows that we may have the strength to back up our claims. Also, I''m not going to be taking the position, because I''d rather not have a big shiny target on my back, nor do I want to deal with all the politics and management associated with it. So I''ll need to find someone willing and trustworthy to bestow that lovely role to, preferably a selarin.¡± He finished explaining with a tired tone, causing Elaria to breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Oh thank the gods¡­¡¯


    ¡°So you''re going to be a Queenmaker.¡± Fel remarked skeptically with crossed arms.


    He stared blankly at the cloaked woman, and Elaria mentally added queenmaker to his list of titles. ¡°Uh huh¡­ Bottom line is that I can continue with my previous plan, just with a few alterations.¡± He remarked while casually brushing aside the weight of the task.


    Allis cocked her head and went on to curiously ask. ¡°The revolution, right? Don''t you need to finish the designs for the enchanted weapon for that?¡±


    ¡°Since I already have the beginnings of a city state, I don''t need to think about trying to change all of Selaria by force. Now I can just proceed with growing Telnar into a center of power all on its own, so it can influence surrounding territories economically and politically, and that''s going to take some time in of itself. So the weapon is going to be a side project until after the academy is dealt with, because I don''t know if they would be willing to send an army.¡± He explained with a shrug.


    Fel looked between Allis and Leo. ¡°Revolution? Enchanted weapons? What are you talking about?¡±


    The forgetful man facepalmed, likely realizing that she wouldn''t know because of his sound spell. ¡°Right, I need to fill you in on my plans as well as my world.¡± He paused to let out a resigned sigh. ¡°So basically everything... At least I won''t be doing anything else for today, because this is going to take a while.¡±


    Glia chuckled. ¡°That''s a relief, because I still don''t know what the fucks going on.¡± She remarked in amusement.


    Elaria couldn''t help but bark a laugh. ¡°Trust me Glia, It''s not much different at the front of the line.¡±


    ¡®But at least things seemed to have calmed down.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Rak


    Rak was leaning back in his chair, waiting in his office while bored out of his mind as he missed his old posting. It may have been a lot of work, much of it unneeded, but at least he took pleasure in it. Now he had absolutely nothing to do, because he was reassigned due to excessive involvement and souring the image of dragons.


    ¡°All the power at my fingertips, and I''m stuck guarding some useless insect hill¡­¡± The man sighed sadly while continuing to sulk, until there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in, it''s not like I''m particularly busy¡­¡± He stated indifferently.


    The headmaster and recent arch mage of the academy walked in with a smile on their face, much to his irritation.


    The dragon gave the mage a cursory glance before returning his attention to the much more interesting ceiling. ¡°What do you want, bug?¡± He questioned irritably, not caring what any of the lesser beings title themselves, because they were all equally insignificant in his eyes.


    The headmaster''s expression faltered a bit. ¡°Well, we received word of an uprising in one of our border towns, and I thought that you might be interested in joining us.¡± She remarked with high spirits.


    Rak rolled his eyes, something like that being beneath him. ¡°A few dozen peasants with pitchforks isn''t even enough of an appetizer to sate my boredom, much less put in the effort to leave this room for¡­¡± He trailed off with an exaggerated sigh, though if nothing else he could accidentally cause some collateral damage if he was really up for it.


    The little insect smiled wickedly, making Rak wish that the woman wasn''t off limits for obvious reasons. ¡®Oh how I would make you scream¡­¡¯ He would have to settle for his imagination.


    ¡°I have good news for you then, since the town was actually taken by hundreds, maybe even well over a thousand, armed soldiers.¡±


    Interest immediately peaked, his eyes widening as he sat upright to regard the headmaster directly. ¡°That¡­could be worth it¡­ It''s still nothing the inquisitors can''t handle though, granted with some actual effort. So why come to me?¡± He questioned suspiciously, but was partially sold on it if it meant a few days of distraction.


    A wide and sadistic smile crossed her face, one that he was all too accustomed with himself. ¡°The nobility seem to consider the number of rebels there to be a massive threat to the kingdom''s unity, as well as the town itself.¡± She answered darkly, and the beginning of a knowing smile started to show itself on his face.


    ¡°Oh? Do go on.¡± He insisted joyfully.


    The headmaster chuckled, having grabbed his full attention. ¡°Well since so many rebels are there, many would slip through the combing of the town, and infect the surrounding population. Not to mention the population of the town itself. Who knows how many people have fallen for such traitorous ideas?¡±


    Rak''s face became warped with manic excitement, while his tail swayed in equal thrill. ¡°Such a terrible situation, but how exactly is the academy going to resolve this unfortunate circumstance?¡± He inquired exaggeratedly, knowing full well what the answer was.


    Her visage darkened. ¡°By enacting an old decree that''s still conveniently written into law. A complete and total purge of the town, in other words¡­¡± She trailed off for him to finish.


    The man stood up with a new found vigor. ¡°Extermination.¡± He stated with an elated edge.


    The precious little bug nodded. ¡°Exactly. We are currently rounding up the most zealous of our mages to properly carry out the effort. Currently we have about forty, more than enough, but I think a guardian like yourself would be a welcome addition. So what do you say, enough to sate your appetite?¡± She asked with a playful tone.


    ¡°And here I was missing the Gron territories.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 38

    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel woke up the next day and immediately resigned to her thoughts, recalling her summon''s stories about his world. She spent nearly the whole day questioning everything he could tell her, or at least the things that wouldn''t devolve too much into a tangent. She was enraptured, and now understood how her grandfather might have felt toward the last summon.


    Not only was his world completely without magic, but they apparently had a mastery and understanding over things that made her world seem like they were fighting each other with dirt. The technology he described sounded like they were using magic, but after some analogies she was speechless.


    It was no wonder she was beaten, because it was like he was fully armored and wielding a sword, while she was chucking dirt at him completely naked, and oblivious as to why she wasn''t winning. She didn''t even have the concept of what he was working with, much less how it worked. And if his people had an understanding of the laws that governed the universe, then he really was a mortal with the power of the gods.


    But Leo seemed to dislike that he even had the ability to wipe out a kingdom with casual effort, saying that having that ability was like walking around with a fully armed nuke at all times, which wasn''t helped by the fact that he refused to tell them what a nuke even was.


    So he created strict limits on himself, never wanting to compromise his morals by abusing his ability, something that she had already done with heavy regret. That was why she didn''t even attempt to probe into how his magic worked, because she didn''t trust herself with that kind of power.


    Even as amazing as Leo himself was, Fel was even more fascinated by his race. From how he described them, they seemed so weak physically, but she deduced that they made up for it with pure endurance. That whatever tragedy, disaster, abuse, horror or crippling injury they experience seemed to push them further. Any other race would have probably buckled in one form or another against such complex problems he described, but it''s like they grow from hardship, conflict, and self-inflicted problems.


    She now understood why he gained so much so quickly, it was practically in his blood to constantly progress and self improve. Combine that with his desire to better her world to be like his, and he won''t stop until he succeeds in some form or another.


    The woman stretched as she sat up from her bed, yawning before her expression became thoughtful. ¡°Seems like I might have really grabbed onto an amazing opportunity. Might even see the council fall within just a few years, if we survive.¡± She mused aloud to herself, drawing out a smile at the idea.


    After getting herself ready for the day, she went to talk with Vesta about what Leo wanted them to do next, as well as give her the bag of gold.


    Entering the empty war room she saw the former major sitting in a chair in front of the main table, and as Fel walked over to her she could see that the shamed major wore a slightly mournful expression.


    A sly smile crossed her face as she approached, knowing that she had a few things from Leo that would brighten her mood. ¡°Morning major, why so down?¡± She said a bit playfully.


    Vesta deadpanned at Fel as she tapped her fingers on the table. ¡°Ve-staaa forget it, and you know damn well why. We''re not going to be able to sustain ourselves after two or three more days, so unless you have fifty gold hid-¡± She was cut short by an abrupt sound of chiming metal echoing throughout the room.


    The dragoness crossed her arms with a grin, her tail whipping happily as she did so. ¡°A hundred gold gift from our new leader, and his exact words were go nuts.¡± She remarked with self satisfaction.


    The previously dour selarin grew wide eyed before a joyful smile spread across her face. ¡°If this is the level of generosity to be expected from him, then the little thorn might not be so bad after all. Any more good news, or is he just our new financial backer?¡± She asked as she joyfully started counting the gold.


    Fel gave her a nod, and turned to lean on the table. ¡°Plenty. First he told us to start rebuilding our web of informants, then to start securing nearby villages. He said that since they no longer need to pay a tax on what they produce to the town''s lord, then we could start benefiting from it, but he told us to lower it to show some good will and make them compliant.¡± She explained while leaning against the table with her arms crossed.


    Vesta breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, so he''s not an impulsive dumbass.¡± She remarked with a smirk.


    The comment made her roll her eyes, not entirely agreeing with the description. ¡®I wouldn''t say that¡­ But I guess I''m no different¡­¡¯ She mentally conceded, but would be reluctant to openly admit it, at least for a while.


    The old major straightened her posture, taking on a more professional air. ¡°Okay, so I guess we''re going to start expanding then. After we deal with the academy, when should we be expected to take the next town?¡±


    Fel shook her head and told her the complete shift in plans. ¡°We''re not going to. Telnar is going to secede from the rest of Selaria.¡±


    Vesta stared speechlessly at her like she had grown another head. ¡°Okay, I assume there''s a plan there that doesn''t have us invaded by every other kingdom and harassed by slavers¡­?¡±


    Fel shrugged, not fully understanding his plans too, but knew that a summons power was in his knowledge, and he had that in abundance. ¡°He''s going to apparently arm your soldiers with enchanted weapons that have many times more power than a crossbow, and with as many times the range as well as fire multiple times without reloading.¡±


    The large selarin was visibly speechless as the information sunk in, before a devilish smile crossed her face. ¡°He does that, and I think we would even be able to take you down in a fight.¡±


    The prideful dragoness was about to retort, but realized that she might have a point, and that such a weapon would level the playing field for all other races if they wanted to resist the dragons.


    ¡®Okay, definitely grabbed onto an amazing opportunity¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was once again waiting for the architect in the inn''s dining area as he worked on a stun rifle system in his sketchbook, because he was pretty much finished with the design for the acceleration rifle.


    The acceleration rifle had a simple reusable cartridge that could hold a total of nine objects up to about an inch in diameter. It used a slightly convoluted runic system of separating and loading the next shot fired, but thankfully he worked with a modular mindset, so the cartridge system was almost completely detached from the main weapon system. This enabled the rifle to also have a bolt action sub system, which hopefully future-proofed the cartridge from messing up or breaking out in the field, so the soldiers could still fire without it.


    The inside of the barrel was made frictionless to help prevent any debris from jamming it, as well as keeping any unconventional ammunition from damaging the insides too much. The entire weapon lacked almost any mechanical parts, being nearly solid.


    The only exception was the trigger, which had its own tiny system with a spring and hard trigger to activate a rune. He could have just had a simple rune to tap, but there were just some feelings that couldn''t be replaced, and one of them was the little rush of dopamine that accompanied the sound and feeling of a trigger being pulled.


    The launching system itself was fairly straightforward, having an acceleration equation that affected any object inside the barrel, as well as a rotational rune to eliminate the need for physical rifling, which caused him to have a few mental arguments on whether it should even be referred to as a rifle.


    There was also a failsafe system designed into the weapon that could trigger all the runes to be dispelled or locked. He wanted the system in place so that if his rifles were stolen by someone, then they would just be walking around with a hunk of wood and iron, even though it would take god knows how long for them to decipher the meaning of his runes. Having the failsafe also gave him some options, like creating wireless triggers or hard capped operational zones.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Leo was happily sketching away when he felt a tap on his shoulder, it being Elaria who pointed toward the inn''s entrance.


    He had an idea of the race that was coming, but that still didn''t stop his eyes going a little wide at the woman that was approaching them. It was definitely the architect, because she was most definitely a tiefling.


    She was nearly six feet tall, with smooth scarlet skin and bright yellow eyes. Large, thick, and devilish horns protruded smoothly from the rim of her forehead, and became rigid while they tapered and flowed back above her long jet black hair. She had a very long tail at about six and half feet long, it was thick at the base but tapered off with a slightly thick and almost heart shaped tip at the end, which seemed perfect as it added to her somewhat demonic look.


    She had brown knee high stringed boots, tight gray pants, and a down cut frilled shirt that was overlaid by an ornate jacket that stopped just below her wide hips, which seemed to make her perfect hourglass figure pop.


    As she approached, Leo couldn''t help but think of her as a bard straight out of some fantasy concept art.


    ¡®This is real, this is not a dream, and I am not tripping out in my apartment right now¡­¡¯ He mentally repeated to himself as the stunningly beautiful woman arrived at their table.


    The woman bowed deeply, as some of her silky strands flowed from over the shoulder to her front. ¡°Lord Leo I assume? My name is Sciesch Freatathay, and It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± She said in a sweetly honeyed voice with a foreign accent that he couldn''t place, which sent an arousing shiver up his spine.


    The slightly shaken man gulped, as the alluring woman checked boxes that he himself didn''t know he had. ¡®I swear to god, there better not be any translation necklace fuckery here.¡¯ He thought with a tinge of desperation.


    He chuckled a little awkwardly at being a bit socially off kilter, the woman literally having an otherworldly beauty. ¡°The pleasure is all mine, especially since you''re the one to design my new home. I hope you had a safe journey here, and please, just call me Leo. I prefer not to use titles.¡±


    Rising from her bow, Sciesch casually flung back her loose strands of hair, and looked over him with careful consideration. ¡°As you request Leo. My travel was smooth and uneventful, so I was able to complete the designs for your estate, with a few of my own personal alterations. All I need now is your approval, so the guild can start requisitioning the labor and materials.¡±


    The observant man noticed something missing from the conversation, something that had been present in virtually every woman he''d spoken to since arriving on this world. ¡®Huh, she doesn''t look to have a trace of sexual interest for me. Damn that''s refreshing. Hopefully Elaria doesn''t talk to her... Wait, what am I saying?¡¯ He shook off the prospective thought to continue the conversation, chastising himself for being such a horndog now that he was in a relationship.


    Leo smiled warmly, and gestured for her to take a seat. ¡°Alright, let''s see them.¡± He requested and She nodded, but still looked like she was intently appraising him, though it seemed more analytical than anything else.


    Taking a seat next to him, Sciesch pulled out some rolls of paper, but only unfurled one onto the table. The large sheet had a birds-eye view of the estate from an angle. The area was large and flat, and had six buildings spread around, with the area being encircled by a twelve foot stone wall.


    Leo raised an eyebrow at the number of buildings, remembering his original request for three. ¡°Why are there six?¡± He asked curiously, but not really upset because it looked a hell of a lot better than what he imagined.


    Sciesch shrunk in at the question, her hands retreating from the table and into her lap as she quickly looked away. ¡°Well my Lor- Leo, I thought that three seemed to be way too cramped for an estate. Dividing the staff quarters would relieve any indoor congestion, as well as other utility and work areas.¡± She answered with some fear mixed into her voice.


    The human sighed, knowing that her behavior was probably from her dealings with some other difficult clients, not at all too different to how some introverted digital artists he knew back on earth acted. It was best to let the professionals do what they were good at instead of threatening their pay while breathing down their necks for every little detail. Maybe an overall critique is fine, but nine times out of ten you''d receive better quality work if you let them do what they want.


    ¡®Although punishment and threats are probably harsher in a medieval fantasy world¡­¡¯


    ¡°Sciesch, calm down. I''m not angry, nor am I going to harm you in any way. I''ve only become a lord because I bought all this land, I have no affiliation to any actual nobility, so please act like I am just any other person.¡± He told her with a calming tone while he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.


    The tiefling looked a little taken aback, and searched his expression for any hints of deception, but visibly relaxed after the moment passed. ¡°As¡­you request Leo.¡± There was an instance of relaxation there before she resumed her professionalism.


    He wanted to ask her to drop the formalities as well, but he chose to let her get comfortable at her own pace, because she seemed like a good natured person. ¡°Alright then, tell me what each building is for. And I assume that this is all still within the agreed upon budget?¡±


    She nodded, the action being almost unnaturally smooth. ¡°Of course, I distributed the building materials and number of rooms, so the cost won''t be affected.¡±


    The first building was a single story barracks that could house forty guards, It was closer to the estates entrance and had an enclosed training area.


    The second building was the servants quarters, a single story building that could house thirty and was positioned close to the main manor house.


    The third was a trade center that was next to the main road leading directly to the manor house, which was a two story building that housed ten.


    Fourth was a workshop and large storage, it was large but housed only five and was positioned to the back of the manor house.


    The fifth was the guest house, which supports five.


    Lastly was the main manor house, which holds up to fifteen people and has a variety of other rooms.


    The extra rooms included a library, wine cellar, private study, workshop, a large dining room that doubles as a ballroom, and even an indoor pool.


    Recalling his comparatively shitty little apartment back on earth, he couldn''t help but let out an impressed whistle at his new home. ¡°And all this fits within the budget? I assume it''s because these numbers are for maximum occupancy, like two to four per room in the servant and guard buildings?¡±


    Sciesch smiled at his reaction, her tail perking up slightly with a bit of pride. ¡°Of course. I''ve made sure to effectively use all the materials and labor capacity.¡±


    The thoroughly satisfied human leaned back in his chair with a cheerful expression, thankful for not having to live in the fallout shelters that selarins call homes. ¡°Alright then, I think you''ve designed me the best home I''m ever going to have the pleasure of living in. Thank you for all the effort you put in, I really do love it.¡± He said while giving her a pat on the back.


    Sciesch smiled proudly as her tail swished back and forth. ¡°Thank you for the praise my lor- I mean, Leo.¡± She corrected as her formal demeanor melted a bit.


    Leo chuckled because of how quickly she was getting comfortable with him, which made the meeting feel more normal than any he''s had since arriving. ¡°So I''ll see you after tomorrow then. I need to check the area tomorrow and make sure that everything is clear.¡± He told her and received a simple nod as she got up from her seat.


    Leo mentally winced, as he was putting off that particular task. ¡®Mostly because it''s not clear¡­¡¯ He thought guiltily.


    The voluptuous woman bowed and turned to leave, but halted, turned back, pulled a small bag out of her ample cleavage, and tossed it to Leo, who went a little wide eyed at the display. ¡°That is the rest of the gold payment for the contract.¡± She told him, but paused to give him a curious once over again.


    ¡°If you don''t mind me asking, what is your race? I think I''ve seen or read something that''s at least close to you, but I can''t quite put my finger on it.¡± She questioned with her head cocked slightly, and a finger on her lower lip thoughtfully.


    The human closed his eyes and shook his head with a chuckle, knowing that visually he was more or less a mish mash of a bunch of races according to Allis. ¡°You probably never heard of them, but I am human.¡± He answered, and opened his eyes to a visibly shocked woman.


    He immediately frowned, as the familiarly human feeling of knowing exactly when you fucked up hit him like a truck. ¡®No¡­¡¯ The thought trailed off in a form of abject disbelief and denial.


    The previously composed and professional woman looked like her legs were about to give out. ¡°Y-yor-you''re a-¡± She stuttered while turning a little pale.


    ¡®Noooooo!¡¯ His thoughts screamed while he quickly put up a sound barrier.


    Sciesch took a deep breath and yelled out the one thing that nearly made him pull out his hair in frustration. ¡°A summon!?¡±


    ¡°God damn it!¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 39

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was staring wide-eyed at Sciesch, as well as his three other companions who were also within his hastily cast sound barrier.


    The stunned man tried to process a response to the equally stunned tiefling, but all he could manage was a single confused filled word. ¡°How?!¡± He yelled with his hands up in frustration.


    Sciesch took a step back, while her eyes momentarily darted to the exit, causing him to take a placating posture.


    ¡°Okay, just allow me t-¡± His words were cut short as the frightened woman bolted for the exit.


    ¡®Maybe Fel had a point about my pension for outing myself¡­¡¯ He refused to openly acknowledge it though, at least for a while.


    _________________________________________


    Sciesch


    Sciesch was born into a fairly wealthy merchant''s family, so she had an easy and straightforward initial start in life. Graduating near the top of her class from Zaruik college for financial pursuits, she was a pretty successful architect, but other than that she was a nobody, just an unimportant tiefling who took odd jobs involving design or construction.


    It wasn''t until her kingdom started to split into factions, that her life turned for the worst. The split happened due to the academy restricting access to the Archive, an indestructible magical construct that was created by the second summon, a human. The Archive''s knowledge guided the tieflings ever since the second summon passed away, which enabled them to spread their control and influence to every corner of the continent during their era of domination, as the other races called it. In actuality it was their golden age, leading the world in almost all aspects of civilization.


    It was only after the war in heaven that the Archive chose to only share specific information, the reason for it having to relate to the war itself. So the empire fell into drastic decline, and now only made up a chunk of the north eastern continent. Even though after every era the tieflings were the fastest to rebuild, they were the first to stagnate. This was because the Archive would stop providing guidance the second the tieflings grew too much, and as one could imagine this had plenty of controversy surrounding it.


    So by the start of the last era, in which the tieflings were one of the few to hold off the lightborn, there was a big push to study the Archive itself. This caused the first major rifts as the hardcore zealots, who deified the summon, argued that doing so was blasphemous, and the kingdom divided even further when the first academy and merchants guild established itself.


    This division was only ideological, as the kingdom was more or less unified up until about nine years ago, when the Archive was moved to the academy. This caused the zealots and the moderates to split from the kingdom, rejecting the action of the expansionist queen. Then another split happened five years ago when the academy cut off all access to the Archive, this is when the backers of the merchants guild broke off.


    Sciesch didn''t really care about maintaining the kingdom''s unity for the sake of it, but the divisions hurt her ability to find work within the kingdom, so she had to start looking for work in others, which is how she found herself in her current situation.


    The shaken tiefling was running towards the inn''s exit. ¡®Why of all the people in the world, did I have to take a job from a summon. And not just any summon, but a human!¡¯ She thought with a mixture of panic and anger.


    Sciesch only managed to make it halfway before she was suddenly lifted slightly off the ground, feeling nearly weightless as she began to realize that it was magic.


    ¡®Oh, and he¡¯s a mage¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo wanted to deal with the situation in the most peaceful and civil way possible, the calm man striding over to the tiefling who was struggling to touch the floor, her body held up only inches off the ground.


    ¡°Damn it! Release me!¡± She demanded, her previously friendly attitude utterly absent.


    ¡®Why must things be difficult¡­?¡¯


    He gazed up at her with a slightly exhausted expression. ¡°Not until you hear me out, and answer a few of my questions.¡±


    She scowled. ¡°Bite me!¡±


    ¡®Bite me? That''s a little too specific, and a little out of place for this age¡­ Maybe?¡¯ He raised an eyebrow at the thought before taking off his translation necklace, having a nagging feeling due to her being aware of humans.


    ¡°Do you understand me?¡± He asked hesitantly with narrowed eyes.


    The instant pause and expression of shock was more than enough of an answer, especially after she  started struggling even more to try and escape, her legs flailing around to find purchase.


    He frowned, but some surprise was still evident on his face. ¡°I''ll take that as a yes¡­ Mind telling me how you can speak my language?¡±


    The woman slumped and went silent, staring down at him with a resigned air to her capture, but putting up the only resistance that she could by refusing to answer.


    The frustrated human sighed and put the necklace back on, turning to regard his companions as he did so. ¡°Do any of you know exactly how she knew who I was? I mean I can guess that it was the second summon, but that was five eras ago, hundreds of thousands of years ago if your history is accurate¡­¡±


    Glia and Elaria shrugged, but Allis had a moment of visible comprehension before she winced, which made Leo direct his full attention to her.


    The serpentine shrunk in a bit at his expectant stare, her eyes darting away a little guiltily. ¡°Well¡­ I''ve read about something called an Archive that they have that lasts through the eras, and it''s said that it was made by the second summon. Also, some of them deify summons, so¡­¡±


    ¡°What? And it didn''t cross your mind to tell me when a tiefling was coming?!¡± He scolded her in disbelief, the woman only managing to give him a sheepish smile and a simple sorry. ¡°I- It''s fine¡­¡± There was nothing to do about it now, but this was the kind of thing he needed to know about.


    He had thought that accidentally revealing his identity through conversation was a closed issue when he made an official mental checklist in regards to his magic. But how could he have known that there was a human on this world before him? Not only that, but out of the infinite worlds that Fel seemed to describe as pulling from, how was it that the one in three other summons just happened to be a human?


    ¡®And on top of that, the second summon made an indestructible magic black box with god knows what kind of knowledge in it¡­¡¯If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Leo turned back to Sciesch and chose to lay her situation out in full. ¡°So, I don''t know what I did to make you so tightlipped, but you''re gonna have to accept the fact that you are in a no win situation. You run, and the guild will be pissed that you differed on the contract. You tell them, or anyone what I am, and I''m in the wind, so they lose a very profitable partner because of you.¡±


    Sciesch''s brow arched as she seemed to recall something, her eyes darting around in thought before she relented. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll oversee the construction.¡± She acquiesced a little dejectedly, and Leo released the magic holding her.


    Catastrophe averted, he breathed out a long exhausted sigh. ¡°Also, I don''t know what kind of views you or your people have of me or my people, but please treat me like any other person, because I was only summoned two weeks ago, so I don''t know you or anything about your race.¡±


    ¡°But you know magic, and are already a lord?¡± She appeared skeptical but wary.


    ¡°I''m guessing that the other summon also came from a magicless world. And just to point out a few of my other achievements, I''m an arch mage, in charge of a rebellion, have kicked a dragon''s ass, and am plotting a worldwide revolution.¡± He was more having a laugh at the absurdity of it all, some of that amusement falling short as she turned to the others with a silently judgmental question.


    Furthermore when all of them nodded in a silent affirmation.


    _________________________________________


    Sciesch


    Sciesch reflected on her meeting with Leo as she made her way back to the guild branch. She wanted nothing more than to leave town and never look back, because of the massive amount of baggage that being associated with a summon came with, but the human was right.


    ¡®An honest to god human¡­¡¯


    The guild would probably put her in a slave collar for running out on the contract, and if she explained why, then they would put her in one anyway for making them lose such a valuable trade partner. One would just have to look at the Archive to understand what a summon was capable of creating, and if the guild lost out on an opportunity to acquire items that were even a fraction as complex, then they would be furious.


    The contemplative woman groaned as she turned on a street corner while on her way to the guild. ¡®God, that''s probably what he did to become a lord, and whatever he knows as a summon made him an arch mage. He''s just screaming danger¡­¡¯ She let out a sigh.


    ¡®Well I''m stuck working for him now, so I should just get over it and hope I don''t get killed or something. It might not be all bad though, because I might be able to prod a secret or two out of him to sell or improve my design''s. And at least he seems like a normal guy, more or less what I thought, and not the all powerful god that those fanatics made him out to be.¡¯


    Upon arriving at the branch, she told the accountant to start requisitioning the materials, labor, and gave in the estate designs for them to make more copies. She then went to the guest room for the night, she was exhausted from both the trip here, and from finding out who the lord actually was.


    The hot shower served to destress her from earlier events. It was going so well too, if only she didn''t ask, then maybe she would have continued to be blissfully ignorant and parted ways after the work was done. ¡®Unlikely¡­ There was something off about him that made me drop my guard.¡¯ Her people were notoriously professional when it came to strangers, which made it concerning when she almost slipped out of her outward persona multiple times.


    ¡®My tail was wagging like I was a dog being given a treat¡­¡¯ It was slightly embarrassing now that she looked back on it.


    ¡°So he''s in charge of the rebels here? I can almost make the connections to our own history¡­¡± She trailed off as she exited the shower, dried off her hair, and yawned while putting on her lacey nightgown.


    ¡°Damn, the next few weeks are going to be a headache, but at least I get a front row seat to an arch mage''s magic, so that''s something. Though I have no idea what he was saying about defeating a dragon. He was probably compensating like most males, or his status of being a summon had gone to his head.¡±


    Tieflings being a female only race gave them the unique perspective on the opposite sex, specifically being wholly disappointed in them in one specific area. ¡°One of the many reasons we rarely leave our borders¡­¡± She mused while climbing into bed and snuggling herself into the soft sheets.


    ¡°Even I don''t believe most of the insane feats that the fanatics rant about the second summon. I mean really, if you''re going to lie, then at least don''t come up with something so blatant¡­¡± She muttered before drifting off to sleep.


    ¡­


    The morning after, she dragged herself out of bed, readied herself for the day, and left the branch to meet Leo at the town''s back gate. He wanted to take off from a secluded area, something that she was actually looking forward to, because flight magic was something she had only dreamed of experiencing.


    Sciesch wore a contemplative expression as she approached her destination. ¡®I don''t see the point in hiding his identity as an arch mage, he''s already in charge of a rebellion. You''d think that would help with his claim on the town¡­ And even if it''s because of the dragons, he''s going to have to confront them at some point regardless, it''s not like he could resist them.¡¯ She thought as she finally exited through the back gate, spotting Leo standing in the middle of the field with four other people.


    The human had introduced her to the three selarins, Elaria, Glia, and Allis, but she didn''t know the cloaked figure. If she was honest, she didn''t really care at this point, but was still somewhere between peeved and excited due to her current situation. So as she approached she asked about the stranger with a little attitude, making it apparent that she was still unhappy with him to some extent.


    ¡®Before I inevitably start acting like a child while flying...¡¯


    Leo smiled wide as he exaggeratedly gestured to the mystery woman, Sciesch noticing the slight horn like protrusions under the cowl. ¡°This Is Fel. She''s the dragon that I beat.¡± He introduced her with a smug pride.


    The crimson skinned woman deadpanned at him, not amused by the obvious lie. ¡°Leo, please don''t li-¡± She stopped mid sentence when Fel revealed herself.


    The dragoness sighed and shot the human next to her a glare, before addressing Sciesch directly. ¡°Hello, I believe you are Sciesch? Leo has filled me in on the situation, and I''m sorry that you may have gotten dragged into something unwillingly.¡±


    An expression of utter shock was plastered across the tiefling''s face, completely frozen at the sight of a dragon, creatures that could, and have, level cities. ¡°You''re¡­ You''re a dragon¡­ Wait, did he actually win against you?!¡± She questioned in total disbelief while trying to comprehend just how deep she had fallen into this rabbit hole.


    The silver haired woman grumbled and Leo grinned, practically beaming at the question. ¡°Yes, but it was far from a fair fight, since not even my breath could harm him.¡± She finished with a frown.


    The honeyed skinned human mocked offence at the remark. ¡°Hey, I got serious at the end!¡±


    ¡°I was the whole time! But you were the one who pushed me into doing that.¡± She glowered at him while irritably pointing across the field, and Sciesch''s jaw dropped at the straight line of destruction that stretched beyond her sightline.


    He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. ¡°And it was a very enlightening experience for both of us.¡± He remarked with a shit eating grin.


    ¡°You''re an ass, you know that¡­?¡± She pointed out bitterly with a scowl, the man trying, and failing, to suppress his laughter.


    Sciesch just stood in shock, as she tried to process anyone fighting, beating, then taunting a dragon. She also had to concede that if he was more powerful than a dragon, then there might be some grain of truth to what the fanatics say, which shocked her even more.


    She felt a pat on her back and looked to her left to see Elaria wearing a comforting smile, but then she said something that made her crimson skin darken a shade.


    ¡°He can also go multiple times in bed, within the same day, each and every day.¡± Elaria stated a little sensually with a smirk, causing the devilish woman to arch her brow in surprise and intrigue.


    Sciesch looked back to the human, her low opinion and apprehension of him slowly fading away with the newly received information as a slightly impish smile crossed her face at the prospect.


    ¡®Okay, so not compensating¡­ Also, multiple?¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 40

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo had left Allis, Glia, and Elaria behind, because none of them wanted to be anywhere near him when he said he would level about twenty acres of forestry with his magic.


    Which was fair¡­


    Thus, he only departed with Sciesch and Fel to his newly acquired lands, the flight taking only a few uneventful minutes. Fel tagged along to see him use more of his magic, while he used gravity magic for Sciesch to join them and help with zoning and such.


    Unfortunately, the professional architect seemed to have joined the thirst club with how she now looked at him, causing no small amount of disappointment in him from the woman''s occasional piercing gaze from behind.


    ¡®Why do I get the feeling Elaria had something to do with this¡­?¡¯


    After flying above the overgrown trail for a bit, he stopped over the largest and most level terrain that was on the path to the mine. He flew a little higher and mentally pathed out how much he needed to clear, which equated to simply eyeballing it. When he was done, he casually ripped a tree out of the ground and floated it up to him.


    ¡®While I don''t like to be wasteful, I really don''t have anywhere to store or properly process the wood¡­ So this is a good time to test out atomizing magic.¡¯ He thought while his first attempted cast went through on the tree, the matter seeming to bleed away into nothing.


    Fel down flew next to him, and he noticed that the beats of her large wings were not quite lining up with accurately supporting her mass. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± She asked in a mixture of awe and horror.


    ¡°Well, that was essentially me deleting something using magic.¡± He responded guiltily while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, Fel and Sciesch staring at him with fully arched brows.


    He winced at what the spell could do to a person, but it was better and more subtle than giving Smokey the bear a heart attack by torching the whole area. ¡®Yeah, that''s an appropriate response¡­ And that didn''t cost me much mana to do¡­. Strange that it felt like different parts of the tree used up different amounts of mana though. Might have to do with either density, or the strength of the molecular bonds?¡¯ The thought genuinely interested him, but they were experiments for later.


    ¡°Welp, you two might want to brace yourselves for what I''m about to do.¡± He told them as he mentally visualized all the trees in his sight that needed to be cleared, and with a simple snap of his fingers, hundreds of them started to bleed away into nothing.


    The process only took a few seconds, and what was left was a fully cleared area that was a little larger than the required space. The terrain was very rough, and was dotted with hundreds of holes from the deleted trees, some with a small pile of dust within them.


    ¡®Gonna need to do some testing on denser objects, because that was like a nibble off my mana sandwich, and that''s just all kinds of bullshit¡­¡¯ He mentally noted to himself with a frown, not at all comfortable with the potential this spell could wrought.


    Turning to his left, he saw Sciesch and Fel just gaping at the cleared land, and he really couldn''t fault them for the reaction, because even he was taken aback at the site. It was one thing to say that you can casually cause widespread destruction, it was another to actually do it.


    His gaze drew over the area, stuffing the frightening potential of his abilities into a mental box to be addressed later. ¡®Hmm, gravity magic to flatten I guess¡­?¡¯ He thought as he visualized a spell to use gravity to spread out, even, and compress the ground.


    As he felt the cast go through, there was a massively deep thud that echoed from below, and all of the ground was instantly flattened perfectly. He smiled wide at his job being essentially done, but noticed that the edges of the flattened area looked like there was just a slice carved out of the ground.


    ¡®God it''s like a chunk error. Going to need to use the scalpel for that¡­¡¯ He sighed while descending towards the ground, bringing Sciesch along with him.


    When he got to the ground he noticed that Fel was still up in the sky, and seemed to be stuck in a permanent daze. He was about to call out to her, but noticed that Sciesch was also in a similar state.


    The human''s gaze shifted between his tagalongs and the nearly twenty acres of flattened land, the detached world-edit feeling eroding away as the scale of what he had done truly sunk in.


    ¡®Yeah¡­ I may have overdone it.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    ¡®I''ve summoned a god¡­¡¯ Was the lone thought in Fel''s head while she stared out onto the clear and flattened area.


    Though she knew that Leo wasn''t actually a god, his ability to wield magic definitely was on the same level as one, and that would be very terrifying if he didn''t make it abundantly clear that he hated having it in the first place.


    As much of an insufferable ass as she believed he was, she also respected his pursuit of restraint, and seeing this level of power being used just deepened that feeling even more. He could, If he wanted to, go to the dragon capital and wipe out every one there, but that would go against everything he values.


    That kind of moral obligation was something she needed back in her life after acting in the shadows for so long. ¡®If I respect him any more, I might just move the bar up from irritation, to tolerable.¡¯ She let out a small chuckle, continuing to take in the results of Leo''s magic before she felt herself slightly yank downwards.


    With a start, she realized that her summon and Sciesch were already on the ground, beyond impressed at his ease of control and precision of whatever magic this was to grab her attention.


    The dragoness flew down to them with amazement still plastered across her face. ¡°I would ask how, but I don''t think I''d want to know¡­¡± She remarked in a slight awe, trying to imagine how a dragon might accomplish this just as quickly without burning everything for miles around.


    The human let out a nervous chuckle that unnerved her a bit. ¡°Yeah, this is definitely going on my most dangerous spells list.¡±


    ¡°Exactly how many spells are on that list?¡± She asked cautiously while eyeing him with a fair amount of concern.


    The frankly frightening archmage coughed uncomfortably, looking all the while like a hatchling discovering their own strength after accidentally injuring the family pet. ¡°At least a few dozen, but some of them I''ve put hard limits on. Remember when I refused to tell you what a nuke was? Well the byproduct of using it is high levels of ray-dee-ation, which is something that I am never going to fuck with.¡±


    Once again, Fel looked over the area. ¡°What does it do to be worse than this?¡± She questioned skeptically.


    Leo grimaced. ¡°Without explaining the concept, because no one should ever know how to do this, it''s essentially poison that can kill pretty much anything, can linger in the air for hundreds if not thousands of years, and is near impossible to safely clean up after a certain point.¡±


    ¡°That''s fucking horrifying! Wait, you said a byproduct. What is its main use? Wait, no, I don''t want to know.¡± She did, however, wonder just how they managed to create something like that without the use of magic of any kind.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A slightly dark expression fell over the man''s visage. ¡°Yeah, it''s a horrible way to die¡­¡±


    ¡®How could his world seem like a paradise, but also have weapons that do that¡­?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Sciesch


    Sciesch had been experiencing quite the thrill from flying over to the construction site, while also being partially distracted by less than professional fantasies. She had been backed up and so far from home for a few months now, that getting in bed with a human might actually be worth it to destress and loosen up.


    It was fairly obvious that she would be staying in Telnar for at least a year to oversee the construction, a circumstance that would have wound her up if she was working for the usual noble, but a human? Fanatics were truly, well, fanatical, and she didn''t even want to think about what would happen to her, her family, her homeland, or the whole world when the news got out.


    On the flip side, things being the way they are, she was pretty much guaranteed a lot of profitable work. She had initially hoped to be sticking around for a few more weeks after the initial contract for minor additions anyway, but having a human as a client would definitely guarantee her work back home.


    So she was at least happy about that, because coin was coin after all.


    Those thoughts were currently on the backburner as she continued to process what she witnessed, almost missing the fact that she was suddenly standing on the ground.


    Sciesch looked over at Leo, who was staring up at Fel. ¡®That was not something that a simple arch mage would be capable of, that seemed closer to what a god could do¡­¡¯


    The skeptical tiefling had always been critical of the zealots who equated the second summon to a god. Because if he was, then how could he die? No, he was as mortal as everyone else, even dragons, as powerful as they are, were subject to mortality.


    Consequently, she always thought that the zealots went too far in deifying the summon. But after witnessing what he could do, and an admission from a dragon of their defeat by him, she may have to rethink some of her long held beliefs on the subject.


    She furrowed her brow as she bit her lip in irritation. ¡®I really don''t want to admit that those crazy bastards are right, but¡­¡¯ The thought trailed off as she looked between the cleared land and Leo.


    The answer was probably no, and that it was a stupid thing to even ask, but she stiffly walked over to ask him anyway. ¡°Um, Leo, are you and your people gods?¡± She questioned nervously, while not at all mentally prepared for a yes, as it would mean that she had been wrong her entire life.


    Leo opened his mouth to speak, paused, frowned, and went silent for a bit until realization seemed to cross his face. ¡°No to both. My world doesn''t have magic, and I''m just like everyone else without it. In fact if you catch me with my guard down, then an arrow to the face is just as deadly as anything else. Just think of me as wielding the power, not being said power. So please don''t start treating me like a god, or be constantly on edge around me, because I just want to be treated like everyone else.¡± He paused to look over the area.


    ¡°Even though I can do this¡­¡± He trailed off with an exhausted sigh, and she physically relaxed at his explanation, because it turned her worldview back upright again.


    The tiefling cocked her head as an almost nagging thought repeated at the back of her mind. ¡°So just to be sure, you want to be treated without regard to your magical ability?¡±


    The man smiled warmly. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    She smiled impishly, because with most of his magical abilities checked out, she really wanted to confirm Elaria''s claim on his physical. ¡°Great, so want to fuck?¡± She offered bluntly while her tail swayed expectantly, almost giddy at the prospect.


    Leo blinked. ¡°Yeah, sure¡­ What else did I expect?¡± His disappointed tone caused her unusual forwardness to slip, unaware that the man''s internal thoughts were more or less. ¡®Like I''m going to say no to a sexy demoness.¡¯ The casualness of sex was mearly hitting him from left field, again.


    Sciesch became crestfallen, her tail drooping sadly. ¡°It''s fine if you don''t want to, you could have just said no¡­¡± She pouted as she timidly twirled a strand of her hair.


    Fel crossed her arms disapprovingly at Leo. ¡°Paper dragon wants to make others feel bad? That''s rich.¡±


    The barb made him wince. ¡°I''m sorry Sciesch, I didn''t mean it like that. It''s just that being constantly leered at is starting to get to me. You''re a gorgeous woman and I''d be happy to have a good time with you.¡± He turned to Fel. ¡°And as for you. After I''ve had my time with her, I''m going to finally fuck paper dragon out of your vocabulary.¡± He finished with a hard certainty, and both women''s skin color deepened in shade considerably.


    ¡­


    Sciesch had been left to her own thoughts after that encouraging conversation, wondering what her sisters would think about her potentially fucking a human, and how seethinglly jealous the more religious family members would be. Although, she did wonder why she had been so quick to throw caution to the wind, a large part of her hoping that her people''s darker aspects weren''t affecting her.


    ¡®I might need to watch myself afterwards¡­¡¯ The concerning mental note was placed at the forefront of her mind, but any intimate encounters usually did help to curb her people''s troubling condition anyway.


    For the most part though, she spent the better half of two hours walking around the flattened land and casually zoning out construction areas in her head. Fel and Leo on the other hand, had spent that time smoothing out the terrain around the edges of the flattened land, an understandable task considering how unseemly it looked.


    He was nearly done after a little over two hours in, when Sciesch heard a muffled voice in her bag. It was from the communication orb the branch lent her, and when she pulled it out she could hear someone frantically calling in a hushed tone.


    The orb pulsed dimly. ¡°Hello, architect?! Are you there?! Gods please answer?! Hello?!¡± The woman called desperately from the other end.


    Sciesch became visibly worried. ¡°Hello, this is Sciesch. Is som-¡± She was cut off by the woman.


    The orb brightened. ¡°Get Leo!¡±


    _________________________________________


    Rak


    -FOUR HOURS AGO-


    Rak was patiently waiting outside the academy, leaning against a massive floating metal box. The box was an ancient artifact that was excavated from a ruin found in Selaria, and dated back to the era of progress. The box could carry a limitless amount of weight, and glide over terrain with ease. But since the runes that made it work were a complete mystery to the academy, they just used it to transport many supplies, or other heavy objects.


    Rak couldn''t care less about the floating magical mystery, as his mind was on what he would do when he got to Telnar. ¡°It has been a while, so I should take my time and enjoy it. There probably won''t be another opportunity like this for decades¡­¡± He muttered with a small and eager smile.


    The headmaster approached with a smile on her face. ¡°All the mages and supplies are loaded, so we are set to head off. We should probably get there around midday.¡± She told him.


    Rak smiled happily, one of the few occasions that he was actually in such a mood to regard the pathetic little thing. ¡°Oh I''m much too impatient for that, so why don''t I just teleport you all there.¡±


    The headmaster arched a brow, and looked between him and the artifact. ¡°Are you sure? I mean no disrespect, but this is quite a lot.¡± She questioned meekly.


    Rak barked a laugh at the insect, and how small they actually were compared to him. ¡°This is nothing for me little bug! I have the ability to move twice this size, and my mana pool is even bigger than most other dragons.¡± He huffed proudly.


    The headmaster nodded, and boarded the artifact with some hesitation, much to Rak''s amusement.


    Placing both his hands on the box, Rak visualized the area he scouted yesterday that was just outside Telnar. The sounds of cracks and tears could be heard, as the space around him and the artifact began to shift and warp.


    And after one loud and thunderous snap, they were both at their destination.


    Rak banged on the box. ¡°We''re here!¡± He shouted while looking out over the town with a manic expression.


    The headmaster exited the artifact, and started giving orders to take the gates and patrol the walls, to make sure no one escapes.


    The headmaster then thanked Rak for the teleport, and hoped that it didn''t cost him too much mana.


    The dragon snorted at being worried over by an insect. ¡°Nothing I couldn''t do twice over.¡± Internally he had to admit that he spent a decent chunk.


    ¡®But it''s not like there''s anything here that could even scratch me.¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 41

    _________________________________________


    Sel


    Sel had been locked in the guard''s stockades for days now, waiting for inquisitors to come and wipe out the rebels, as well as her former deserting guard. She knew that they stood no chance, because when she was younger she had the misfortune to personally witness a few revolts get put down.


    Even though an inquisitor could simply kill a rebel and move on, most of them went out of their way to be beyond cruel. They took pleasure in torturing their victims before killing them, and making them watch as all they cherished was destroyed. Their brutality was explained as simply making an example for others, but it was a blatant lie. Whether the mages knew or didn''t care, the simple fact was that such pain would spur others to eventually try to fight back, and so the bloody cycle continued.


    The captured captain''s expression darkened as she stared at the wall of her cell. ¡°Now my town''s going to have to join the wheel of such horror¡­¡± Her dour musings ended at the sound of screams and fighting from outside, and long buried memories helped her place the cause without having to see it.


    ¡®Here already?¡¯ The thought drew an immense amount of concern.


    From her escorts with inquisitors, she knew that they were always excruciatingly slow when leaving to deal with a revolt. So them being here meant that something else was going on, something that made her gut sink as she made out a single word from the desperate shouting, causing her blood to run colder than normal.


    ¡°Dragon¡­¡± She muttered as the door of the stockade flew off its hinges, crashing into the wall opposite of it, and in walked the terrifying creature.


    The dragon was six and half feet tall with a long and thick lizard tail, and had massively oversized horns while his body was a little bulky with a slight hunch. His face seemed to be between an elf and a selarin with most of his skin being covered in scales, while his hands and legs were oversized and completely lizard-like.


    Overall he looked like some ungodly mix of a lizard and elf.


    The dragon looked directly at Sel with a wide smile that sent a shiver up her spine. ¡°Oh! Are you the previous head of the town guard?¡± He asked, his voice having a deep and gravelly overlay.


    The dragon started stomping toward her cell while he dragged a large and heavily scarred selarin by the neck, the bars on all the cells shuddering with every step.


    Sel could feel her instincts screaming at her to run, but her mind knew that it was futile. ¡°You see, I''ve come to file a complaint about your rampant pest infestation, but seeing as how you''re an insect as well¡­¡± He paused to let out an unsettling chuckle.


    The monstrous creature casually swung a hand at her cell''s bars, and the whole frame was yanked to the side with a loud crash. ¡°Then I''ll have to show you, as well as the former rebellion leader here, how a professional properly deals with your kind.¡± He paused to give her another wide and spine chilling smile. ¡°And then afterwards, you both can join them.¡± He finished with a sick joy to his malice.


    Sel''s face shifted into terror at the implication of why they were here.


    ¡®Dear gods help us¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Elaria & Glia


    Elaria and Glia were at the market, browsing for new clothes and equipment while they waited for Leo to return. In his usual nonchalant fashion, he gave them each five gold and told them to have fun, and Elaria started to question if he even understood the value of coin. Glia being Glia though, snatched the coin and pulled her friend away before she could comment on it.


    After buying some new armor and weapons, they were both looking over some of the more risque items from the elves.


    ¡°Planning to make your next time with him special, huh?¡± Glia asked with a knowing smile.


    Elaria blushed with some embarrassment. ¡°It''ll probably be a while, but¡­when I feel like I''m ready again¡­it wouldn''t hurt to, you know¡­? Make sure he enjoys it...¡± She responded a little sheepishly.


    Glia smiled wide, because Elaria was actually considering someone else''s feelings on the matter. ¡°Hmm, if you want him to really enjoy himself, then might I suggest this.¡± Glia remarked playfully, holding up some leather binds with a matching muzzle.


    Elaria''s eyes went wide at the restraints. ¡°Glia!¡± She scolded, but then shrunk in a bit as she continued to stare at them. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± She questioned meekly.


    Glia chuckled as she set the items back down. ¡°Oh I know so, but maybe after you''ve had a proper first time. Also-¡± She was cut off by the sound of screams coming from all around the market.


    Elaria turned to the woman who''s stall they were at, and the elf had an equally worried expression before a massive Icicle pierced right through the back of their head, spraying the two shocked selarin with some blood and viscera. The elf opened their mouth as if to speak, but then their body slumped to the floor like a ragdoll.


    ¡°Bullseye!¡± Shouted someone from a distance.


    Both of the selarins training kicked in, as they immediately ducked and hid between the stalls. As cries for help and sound curdling screams echoed through the market, Elaria and Glia gave each other a knowing look.


    The Inquisitors were here, but not only for the rebels.


    They carefully and quietly ducked between the stalls, occasionally crossing over bodies that were burned, mangled, or filled with icicles. The sight was more gruesome as they neared the edge of the market, as the floor became more slick with blood, and the occasional limb was found without its owner.


    Glia hardened at the sight, but Elaria began to tremble, while her breathing started to slip out of her control. The sights, the smell, the sounds, they all blended into a familiar white noise that made the green scaled selarin''s head hurt with a building pressure.


    When they reached the market''s edge, there was a large street between them and the town''s alleyways. Glia peaked out from the side of the stall, and took a quick glance down either side of the street. She saw a mage on either end, their heads slowly pivoting from left to right as they both had two icicles floating next to them. She turned to Elaria, and gestured to run on her mark.


    Glia held her hand up and waited till both mages were looking away, and when the opportunity came, she waved down her hand and ran, Elaria following close behind. Unfortunately, Elaria slipped halfway across due to a combination of nervous shaking and her boots being slick with blood from the market.


    Glia turned immediately at the sound of her friend falling, and tried to run over to help, but received an icicle through her leg for the effort, sending her to the ground as well.


    Elaria tried to get up, but got an icicle through the leg too, panic seeping into her every nerve. Her head felt like a fear ridden haze, thoughts and potential actions slipping away from her as helplessness gripped her mind.


    Glia gave Elaria a comforting smile, but her eyes betrayed her own fear toward the situation, and Elaria was visibly shaking as the two mages approached.


    ¡°Well, I guess we do get to have our own fun.¡± Mage one remarked happily.


    ¡°Yeah, I''m sick of standing guard. What does it matter if a few of them get through, It''s not like the rest of the towns any better.¡± Mage two agreed with a slight irritation.


    ¡°It''s damn hard to get them alive though, and too many places they can hide.¡± Mage one complained.


    ¡°Right, so let''s take our time with these two.¡± Mage two urged with a smile.


    ¡°They might entertain us for an hour or two. Oh! Maybe not this one though...¡± Mage two said with a disappointed tone.


    Elaria silently quivered as if it was winter, unable to do anything as pain and fear racked her mind. ¡®No no no no, not again, please not again. Please please please no more!¡¯ The whole scene brought up vividly similar memories within the crippled selarin, of witnessing it from both ends.


    ¡°Ha, she''s shaking like a leaf. Let''s start with the other one then, it''ll be funny if she passed out in fear.¡± Mage one suggested with joy as they both turned their backs on Elaria, and directed their full attention towards Glia.


    Elaria could only watch on as the two mages started burning Glia''s legs with fire, the cries of her dear friend pulling at something deep within her. And as Glia''s screams of agony continued to fill the street, Elaria''s fear at her helplessness slowly began to warp into something else, something dark, violent, wrathful...


    She felt a cold and fiery rage start to envelop her, her mind pushing all fear and doubt away as she was left with a single desire.


    ¡®Kill.¡¯


    A distant memory from her time in the dueling pit guided her next actions with cold malice. ¡®Mages aren''t invincible, not even with their mana shields. Most people conclude that the only way to permanently dispatch a mage is to either catch them unawares or poison them, but they are the cowards. The trick to overcoming a mage is to simply get close, succeed in that, and the world of possibilities opens up to you¡­¡¯The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Quickly and quietly, Elaria took off a piece of her hard leather armor and secured it to her palm, then she drew her hidden dagger, and wielded it in her other hand.


    Elaria positioned herself so that her good leg would spring her up in between the mages, and not a second later she acted, her earlier indecision and shaky tremors no more.


    The first mage went down quickly, because they weren''t shielded, which allowed her to slice right through the back of their throat. The blood from their neck sprayed onto Elaria''s face, blinding one of her eyes, but without hesitation she immediately shifted her bad leg around to stabilize herself, then used her good leg to spring her into tackling the second mage.


    Unfortunately, the mage got their mana shield up just in time to stop the dagger from piercing their chest. The mage tried to push her off, but she was too fast, quickly straddling their chest. Before the mage could react any further, Elaria placed the dagger''s tip over the mages throat and started hammering the hilt down with her palm, as the thick leather protected her hand.


    The mage''s eyes went wide as a crack formed on the shield, and they tried to reach for the dagger, but it was a futile effort, as it slid in with one more powerful push. The mage could only helplessly scratch at the enraged selarin as the blade sunk deep into their throat, death coming quickly for them in wet sickening gurgles.


    But Elaria wasn''t done.


    She screamed in a rage while pulling the weapon to the side, opening up the mage''s jugular and spilling blood everywhere while powerful emotions poured out of her. She yelled and cried in anger directed at nothing and everything all at once, pushing her to continue stabbing into the corpse with all consuming hatred.


    Even though Glia was in excruciating pain, she managed to regain some semblance of lucidity. The experience had her internally begging for the monsters to simply kill her and be done with it, but the torture overwhelmed her ability to even remotely vocalize it.


    With a tear glossed face and a fair amount of effort, her gaze slowly focused her blurry vision on her immediate surroundings. She saw the body of one of the mages laying on the ground while they bled out from their neck, which relieved her more than anything else.


    Shifting her head to the right, she saw Elaria stabbing relentlessly into the other very dead mage. She was in too much pain and shock to fully register the violent actions of her friend, but she did recognize the situation, and was glad the two pieces of shit had been dealt with, but she needed to stop Elaria from potentially drawing any more attention.


    ¡°El-Elaria...¡± Glia called out weakly, which snapped Elaria out of her violent act.


    Elaria dropped the dagger and hobbled over to Glia. ¡°Oh gods, Glia!¡± She cried while looking over the charred remains of Glia''s legs.


    Glia looked down at her legs, her vision going distant for a moment at the sight before she barked a painful laugh. ¡°At least I still have my tail.¡±


    ¡°Glia, I''m so sorry. It''s all my-¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up! Don''t you dare put this on yo-¡± An unbearable pain gripped Glia at her chiding outburst.


    ¡°This is not¡­your fault¡­ Don''t...don''t¡­¡± Glia trailed off, passing out from the pain as Elaria wept over her.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis was on her way to have a nice day with the herbalist. After they made up, Allis wanted to be more social and less closed off, fearing that she would slip back into her more negative tendencies. So she started with the herbalist, someone with a shared interest with her medical practice. They had a few meetups before, and it was going very well, they even opened up to each other about their reasons for choosing their professions.


    Even though She still wanted nothing more than to make Taipa suffer, she knew that building an actual life would go much further in giving her the peace she needed after all was said and done.


    ¡®I can''t wait to tell her what Leo taught me about the nervous system, we might even create a few remedies fo-¡¯ Her thoughts were interrupted by distant screams as they started to echo throughout the town.


    Allis''s immediate reaction was to return to Elaria and Glia, but when she picked out one of the agonizing voices belonging to the herbalist, she sped straight to the clinic just around the corner.


    Bursting into the clinic, she saw the herbalist slumped up against the wall with an icicle in her stomach. A slightly surprised mage was standing over her with a floating icicle, but when they saw Allis''s worry for the herbalist, they smiled and sent the icicle straight through the dying woman''s head.


    Allis''s face contorted into anger and horror at the murder of her new close friend. ¡°Noooo!¡± She screamed as she pushed a massive amount of her mana into a spell that was directed toward the mage, whose brow arched in surprise. Only a second later and the mage was convulsing on the floor as blood, vomit, and other fluids started spilling out of every orifice.


    Allis slithered over to the herbalist, her emotions wanting her to do something to help, but logically she knew that they were gone the instant the icicle entered their head. Sorrow and utter helplessness started to fill her as she slumped against the same wall as the herbalist, crying heavily at the sight of their lifeless corpse.


    ¡®Why? Why must I lose those that I care for¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Kesl


    Kesl was ecstatic with all the new additions that Leo added to his inn. From magical appliances to the delicious recipes, Leo had single handedly made his inn the go-to place to eat. So much so, that he had to hike up the prices to stay, as well as needing to think about hiring some extra staff because of the constant flow of customers.


    ¡°Tissa, three more orders of fish and chips, two for a toasted BLT, and one for eggs with a side of toast! Vissa go help Tissa, I''ll start taking orders.¡± The innkeeper ordered his nieces.


    ¡°Wow, it''s been a while since it was bad enough for you to get involved like this.¡± Vissa remarked in surprise.


    ¡°I could blame Leo, but the little bastard tripled my profits for free, so I can only blame myself for not forcing him to take mor-¡± Screams from outside the inn stopped him mid sentence.


    As the screams continued to get louder, someone burst into the inn while shouting. ¡°Academy Mage''s are killing everyo-¡± An Icicle pierced through the woman''s back and stuck itself halfway outside her chest, causing her to look down in shock before dropping lifelessly to the floor.


    Kesl''s eyes grew wide with terror as four mages walked into the in and started flinging fire and ice at his patrons. Between his chosen profession and past in the capitol, the scene of abrupt violence was one he was unfortunately accustomed to. Although, seeing it from mages was new and caused a legitimate tail jerk reaction from the large man.


    In a directed panic, he ran around into the kitchen and grabbed both his nieces, before bolting for the back exit. Unfortunately a mage walked right through the exit door into the kitchen.


    The mage licked her lips at the sight of him. ¡°My my my, aren''t you a delicious walking piece of meat.¡± She remarked hungerly.


    The large man slowly put his nieces down, and pushed them behind him defensively.


    ¡°Oh, a family man too. Well don''t worry, they''ll live, as long as you''re cooperative¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Kessa


    Kessa was taking a break with Slessi at the back of the guild''s large reception area, having finished a contract to give the rebels supplies for the next month. The contract stated that they received payment up front, as well as having a clause that clarifying that if the academy removes them from Telnar, then they keep the gold and will cease providing supplies.


    Kessa sighed. ¡°The guild doesn''t care who they deal with, as long as they make a profit.¡± She remarked a little irritably, drawing parallels to less reputable organizations.


    Slessi slumped, having been shocked for pointlessly using a communication orb to verify whether they should deal with the rebels at all. ¡°Pursue. Profit. Prosper. That''s the guild motto.¡± She recited emotionlessly.


    Kessa groaned at the lip service. ¡°Unfortunately, it''s the prospering that we seem to be lacking. Not much for those at the bottom.¡± She rightly complained.


    ¡°Or those stuck in the middle¡­¡± Slessi trailed off sadly, drawing her fingers across her collar.


    Kessa winced, as the consequences of some choices last a lifetime. ¡°Ah sorry Sle-¡±


    Screams echoed outside the guild, and the two of them directed their attention towards the entrance.


    After a few moments, a mage walked into the guild with a wide smile. ¡°I regret to inform the Telnar branch that there will be no more Telnar. So in light of that, I believe a termination of employees is in order. Icicle!¡± She finished, and flung an icicle at the receptionist, whose body slumped to the ground with the shard embedded into her skull.


    Kessa and Slessi immediately started running further into the guild, Slessi heading to her office to contact the guild, and Kessa going to hers to get into contact with Leo. More screams sounded out from behind while they ran past other employees, who they regretfully hoped would buy them the time they needed.


    The quick minded woman put together the situation fairly quickly, as much as due to her skills in trade as the most notorious rumors from other branches. The town was being purged, and that meant the branch was no exception.


    Normally an attack on the guild would be suicidal, but since the town is being wiped out, then the guild wouldn''t even have a reason to operate here anymore. They would probably save more on their deaths, then spend the money to have them transferred and bloat other branches.


    The fear driven selarin ran into her office and started frantically looking for the communication orb. ¡®Damn it, Slessi''s efforts are pretty much useless, so our only hope is that Leo can save us.¡¯ The man was an arch mage, and would hopefully help her family, which was a thought that drove her to search with even more urgency.


    When she finally found it, she could hear the screams getting closer, so she hid in her small storage closet. Huddling on the floor, she desperately called into the orb for the architect.


    She knew that Leo was going to clear the area with them today, so it was lucky that she gave them the orb so early, because they would need it when the construction actually went underway. Now though, it was her only life line, as well as the rest of Telnar.


    ¡®And my family¡­¡¯ She prayed to the gods that they were still alive as she started to tear up, Slessi''s  screams encouraging her to repeatedly call even more into the orb.


    When the architect finally picked up, Kessa breathed a slight sigh of relief, but then gave her an immediate and desperate filled demand.


    ¡°Get Leo!¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 42

    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was filled with a mixture of shock, horror, and an ever growing rage as she listened to the selarin on the other side of the communication orb beg Leo to save them, all while overlaid by the torturous screams of someone in the background.


    The academy was purging the town, and if they were really killing everyone, then there were a lot more than twelve inquisitors. But the thought that concerned her the most, was that they arrived way too quickly. Either they were really enthusiastic about getting to Telnar, or they had a little help from a guardian.


    It wasn''t the first time such a thing happened, and she clenched her fists from her relatively muted anger, knowing that at least half the town would already be dead when they got there.


    ¡®Including Leo''s friends.¡¯ She thought mournfully, wondering how badly he would take it if the man was her mirror.


    That question was one that she didn''t need to wait long to have an answer to, as a feeling seemed to wash away all of her other concerns. At first she looked down at her clenched fists that were trembling, but no longer with anger or frustration. Then her eyes went wide as she slowly turned away from the communication orb, struggling to even look at the man next to her.


    She had either not noticed it because she was too deep in thought, or what she was feeling was just so unfathomable.


    Leo was pouring out a wave of raw mana that seemed endless to any mage that dared to look, it was so much that his body emitted a faint blue glow, and his irises were no longer a dark brown, but a brilliantly bright bluish white. It was like he was pulling out of an ocean, and the feeling sent instinctual fear up her spine.


    But something piled even more fear onto her, and that was his expression.


    It was as if something unseen was holding back a torrent of screaming emotions, his visage promising violence toward anyone in his way.


    It was a familiar response that made the dragoness gulp at the sight of the visibly enraged human, since she had no power to stop him if he went out of control. ¡°Leo? ¡­ Can you hear m-¡± Her voice caught as his eyes darted between her and Sciesch, causing them both to reflexively jerk back.


    Their gazes held for only a moment, but it was like looking directly into the eye of a raging storm. They were cold, calm and restrained, betraying the rest of his fury filled visage.


    Her flight instincts caused her to take a single step back at sensing a few spells being cast, but before she knew it, they were all instantly twenty stories up in the air. The sudden relocation momentarily jarred her thoughts, but then there was a loud boom. The world around them blurred for only a moment, and then they were all hovering over Telnar''s merchant branch.


    The stunned woman had barely enough time to process what happened, before they practically snapped down to the ground. She had almost stumbled when released by the incomprehensible magic, but the human had bolted the moment they landed, sprinting into the guild at a speed even faster than that of her people at their best.


    The momentarily bewildered dragoness jumped a bit when Sciesch ran past her and after Leo, probably the least affected mentally due to the tiefling not being a mage. It was Fel''s own abilities to sense all that power that warned her against following, but that indecision was squashed when she finally took notice of the overwhelming scent of blood.


    Entering the branch, Fel was met with the familiar sight of magic riddled corpses, with blood and viscera sprayed across the floor and walls. It was exactly how she imagined it, a horrific massacre. She passed through the morbid scene around her, one of many she had come across in life¡­while some she had carried out herself.


    When she finally reached her summon, she froze, an unnerving anxiety taking over her.


    A terrified looking academy mage was floating off to the side of the hall, completely restrained by the same strange magic the human favored, and a fairly tall selarin was holding on tightly to said human''s side while sobbing into his shoulder.


    The large selarin was muttering her thanks and pleading for him to save her family, but the man seemed somewhere else as he stood motionless, his vacant gaze fixed on the lifeless body of an enslaved selarin sprawled out on the floor in front of him.


    With a single ice spike through the head.


    An almost melancholic feeling of recognition loomed over her, having been too late to help many people herself. ¡®Can''t save everyone...¡¯  She felt sympathetic, remembering the trade deal that she spied in on, and how he comforted the selarin.


    The silver haired woman took up a spot next to the tiefling, both keeping a respectful distance as they watched him kneel down over the deceased selarin. He moved a hand to close her eyes. Then moved it over her ice spiked temple, melting it away and sealing the wound. And finally, he placed his hand over the collar, the object slowly bleeding away into nothing at his touch.


    ¡°I''m sorry that I didn''t do that the first time¡­¡± He whispered to the departed selarin as much as himself, Fel able to hear him clearly due to her enhanced senses.


    The summoner didn''t need to ask him why he didn''t, her mind putting together how he made that regretful decision. She herself would have done the same before her zero tolerance policy, and that''s what was making part of her anxious for a reason she was still hesitant to admit.


    ¡°Kessa, is anyone else here?¡± He quickly asked the jittery selarin who had been pleading with him, receiving a simple head shake in return.


    Suddenly Sciesch and Kessa were magically pulled over to him, eliciting surprised yelps from both. ¡°Fel, go to the base. The mages are likely operating out of it now, and try not to kill them all¡­¡± He commanded with an eerily detached calm, and Fel was visibly taken aback at the request to keep any of these monsters alive.


    That made it apparent he wasn''t her mirror, because these people didn''t deserve to live for what they were doing. ¡°Leo, I know you don''t like ki-¡±


    A loud and sickening snap of bone served to cut her off, the previously restrained mage''s head now twisted completely backwards. She couldn''t help but gawk at his casual killing of the mage, her assessment of him instantly proven wrong.


    ¡°Fel, at this moment, that particular moral is suspended. But I need some of them alive for what I plan to do after¡­¡± He told her with a cold and chilling tone, and the parallels between her own state of mind in this scenario made itself too blatant for her to deny.


    The frightening realization left her speechless and unable to form a response, which was only prolonged when the whole roof of the guild was ripped off by an unseen force, then blinked out of sight as it was sent careening into the sky at an insane speed.


    She watched as the human and his two passengers flew up high above the town and boom toward another location, knowing that the emotions that he was feeling had completely consumed him. It was probably needed for him to get through this, but she only hoped that it wouldn''t permanently change him like it did her.


    ¡®Please don''t lose yourself¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    If someone asked Leo how he genuinely felt at this very moment, he would be unable to put it into words, opting to just howl in pure anguish from the storm of emotions.


    How much time was he late by to save Slessi? Minutes? Seconds? And that was just for her, and not those that painted the carnage that he forced himself passed to get to her.


    Nor every scream he heard in the distance as he rocketed toward the market, wanting to find Elaria and Glia as soon as possible. He didn''t have to worry about Allis, as in one of his casual conversations, he explained how healing magic could be used offensively, something that was way more effective than any vanilla spell.


    But damn if it didn''t still tear his heart in two, prioritizing his loved ones over the rest of the town, especially when he was knowingly choosing to help Kessa''s family after he found Elaria.


    Luckily he only had to round the market once, yanking up and restraining any mages he came across, when he spotted his green scaled lover next to two very dead mages and crying over-


    His eyes went wide with recognition. ¡®Glia!¡¯ The thought cried out as he landed next to them, momentarily startling Elaria. She was covered in blood, tears, and had a foot long icicle sticking out of her lower leg. The second she realized it was him, she pleaded desperately for him to help Glia.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The state of the obsidian scaled selarin made him painfully grind his teeth with a bitter grief, seeing that her legs were completely charred to just above the knees. He could possibly regrow her legs, but he didn''t know if it would also supply its own blood, so she might just die from blood loss if he tried to instantly regrow them. The only option left to him was to cast a spell to amputate the legs and heal over the stubs, hoping that he could properly fix her later.


    The pain and rage in his heart multiplied exponentially when Elaria cried even harder after the spell was finished. ¡°I''m sorry! I''m so sorry, Glia! If only I wasn''t so afraid, I would have never slipped! You wouldn''t have had to come back and lose your legs! And I would have been the one they chose instead!¡± She cried into the chest of the unconscious woman.


    Leo wanted to comfort the emotionally broken selarin, but now was not the time. So after quickly removing the icicle and healing Elaria''s leg, he flew the two up with him, joining Sciesch, Kessa and the seven restrained mages before booming over to the inn. And just like last time, the human flew down by himself to make sure it was safe.


    The man froze up upon entering the inn, a pure instance of numbing shock stunning him as the sight of the situation took only a moment to comprehend, but an eternity to register.


    Only when one of them spoke up did he finally break out of his disbelief. ¡°Oh look, it''s another male! We were just about done with this one anyway, kill his spa-¡± The mage''s voice cut short, as the dining area was filled with the sounds of snapping bone, all five mages slumping lifelessly to the floor.


    Kesl pushed one off of him as he got to his feet, looking around in shock before addressing Leo. ¡°Thank you Leo¡­ but how?¡± His nieces ran over to him with tear stained faces as they handed him some coverings.


    Leo sighed as he started pulling everyone else into the inn, feeling too numb and angry to even give an iota of a fuck about laying low anymore. In fact now realizing that all of this could have been avoided if he had announced himself after his little battle with Fel, which only added to his cocktail of emotions.


    ¡°Sorry I didn''t tell you this before Kesl, but I''m an arch mage, as well as a summon.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Rak


    Rak was having the time of his life, skinning alive a random selarin in front of the restrained guard and rebel leader, not particularly caring which side they belonged to.


    The helpless and agonizing pain of all those involved, triggered a rush of pleasure he hadn''t felt in a long time. The feeling of wielding total power and control over these worthless insects could never be replaced by any other joy, simply being able to relish in dominating their pitifully brief existence. And with so few future opportunities, he would make sure to take his time with this one.


    Finished skinning the selarin, he set about slowly cooking her alive, her screams sounding like sweet music to his ears. When she finally died, either from the burns or blood loss, his body shuddered with pleasure.


    The dragon turned to the two bound selarin, who both looked close to breaking. ¡°Gods, it''s even better after the twentieth time! Don''t you agree?¡± He questioned with a sick joy, showing his horrifically half transformed smile, but frowned exaggeratedly at their half vacant masks of pain.


    ¡°No? Well maybe you''ll come around after the thirtieth time. We do have al-¡± He was cut off by a fist connecting with his jaw, sending him flying into a nearby building.


    ¡°Ow! What the fuck was that?!¡± He yelled out while walking out of the him-sized hole in the wall.


    The startled man had only a moment to glimpse the form of another dragon, before it charged him in an instant and set into delivering powerful jabs all over his large bulky body. Sharp pains peppered across him as he clumsily tried to defend himself, but being caught slightly between transformations was disorienting, and made it almost impossible for him to counter his attacker.


    After Rak promptly shifted back into his smaller form, he took full advantage of his attacker''s brief instance of surprise. He dodged into her punch, grabbed her arm, and swung her around his body, flinging her into another nearby building.


    The assault might have lasted less than a minute, but that was enough to draw out a pained groan, his body feeling a little tender from the nearly undefended onslaught. ¡°Okay, who the fuck ar-¡± He paused, recognizing her irritatingly familiar face.


    The reason why so many insects gathered here suddenly started to make sense, and he couldn''t help but bark out an amused laugh at it all. ¡°Fel! Of all the shadows that I''ve had, your face is the only one I still remember with utter annoyance. And judging by your presence, you still have a bleeding heart for these bugs.¡± Fate truly had a sense of humor, to have delivered such entertainment.


    Fel glared at him with pure hatred, although he much preferred the anguish and fear he coaxed out of her on occasion, it was a much lovelier look on her. ¡°And you''ve only gotten worse! I''ve heard the stories you sick fuck! Me and half of the continent knows of the dragon that gets off on torturing anyone he has the opportunity to, weather it''s women, men, or gods damn children!¡±


    Rak chuckled cruelly at his notoriety, taking a bit of pride in it. ¡°Such praise! I didn''t know I was so famous? But you left out the elderly, they''re always so sweet.¡± He nostalgically intoned.


    Fel flung herself toward him in a rage. ¡°Die you sick fucking piece of shit!¡± She growled.


    Rak laughed as he immediately rushed her.


    ¡°Come on then, little dragon!¡±


    _________________________________________


    Sel


    Sel had been forced to witness Selaria''s guardian, Rak, get sick thrills from torturing selarin after selarin, casually tossing aside any who died just so he could get to the next. The torturous despair that she felt had her mind close to breaking completely, but that was when, out of nowhere, another dragon appeared to give the fucker a punch she could only dream of delivering herself.


    Apparently, the rebels had a monstrous backer of their own, which went to explain why they were so confident and able to turn her women so easily. But now Telnar''s fate was practically a coin flip with the two creatures going at it, and it was obvious whose side she preferred to win.


    The thought made the former captain frown deeply. ¡®Gods, am I really rooting for the rebels? They''re the ones who caused all this¡­¡¯ It was a conflicting thought, but she ultimately had to side with them due to all of Telnar being put to the torch, an action that stirred no small amount of rage she held for the cruel nobility.


    Both of the dragons appeared to be matching each other blow for blow, though Fel seemed to be gaining ground against him. The spectating selarin thought it might have been because of the surprise attack at the beginning, but any warrior could see that the sadist was significantly less skilled in the art.


    He was either rusty, or just above a novice. Though calling any dragon a novice at combat was idiotic, considering they could wipe out armies. And that raw power was on full display as every blow landed caused her to flinch at the sound of a small boom.


    ¡°Skin him alive Fel! Make that sick fuck bleed for all the lives he''s tortured!¡± The rebel shouted from right next to her.


    Rak apparently heard the comment and spared a moment to send an icicle her way, but Fel sent her own to intercept.


    The monster smiled as he summoned a massive wall of ice in between him and Fel, and then dashed towards the fight''s only spectators in an instant. He spared no time in taking the two hostage, grabbing Sel by the neck while slithering his tail around the rebel leader''s own throat. Fel looked horrified by the time she got past the frozen obstacle, a sentiment that was very much shared by the shocked selarin.


    ¡®Oh gods, this is how I''m going to die.'' Sel felt the Rak''s tight grip around her throat as he lifted her like a meat shield, the captured woman''s thoughts resigned to anxious dread.


    Fel scowled. ¡°You fucking coward! Die with some pride!¡± She spat harshly, which elicited a chuckle from the crazed dragon.


    ¡°I won''t be doing anything of the sort, little dragon. In fact, If you don''t want your precious little bugs to be squashed, then you will do exactly as I say.¡± He gave Sel''s neck a squeeze, causing her to struggle in his grip.


    ¡°Don''t give in to this-Fu-Ack-¡± The protesting rebel was casually silenced with what Sel assumed was a much tighter squeeze.


    Fel glared, but Sel recognized the bitter hint of resignation. ¡°What do you want?¡± She asked through gritted teeth, and Sel got the sense that she would rip him in half with her stare if she could.


    Rak gestured for her to come to him, and he sensually ran his hand across her face when she was in arm''s reach. ¡°Oh there''s such fire in you, but it''s unfortunate that it''s to be directed toward protecting these¡­things.¡± He remarked while giving Sel an inconsiderate shake.


    The dragoness wore an expression of disgust as the guardian trailed a hand down her clothes.


    ¡°I guess I''ll have to give you a more personal lesson. I might enjoy teaching one of my own kind for a-¡± The guardian paused, and Sel fell to the ground as she still felt his hand loosely gripped around her neck. ¡°-Change¡­?¡±


    Sel looked up to see Rak staring blankly at his arms, his hands missing as all that was left were bleeding stubs. Looking at his tail, it was cleanly cut off as well, causing her to wonder what exactly caused such grievous injuries. She was then jolted out of her momentary lapse in situational awareness, briefly panicking at the feeling of falling horizontally across the street.


    Before she knew it, Sel, Fel and the rebel leader were sitting on the ground behind a man who was emitting a faintly blue glow.


    The rebel smiled wide, seeming almost relieved. ¡°About fucking time you showed up.¡±


    The silver haired dragoness on the other hand was furious, scowling at him. ¡°Damn it Leo, he''s mine!¡± She growled.


    The bewildered selarin furrowed her brow as she recalled the name.


    ¡®Leo¡­ Wait, isn''t he the recent lord?¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 43

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    It was a stroke of luck that Allis showed up at the inn not long after he cleared it, apparently going on her own little rampage and eliminating several mages along the way. The inn was closer to the clinic, so she wanted to check there before heading for the market to try and find Elaria and Glia, but now she could simply stay at the inn to protect everyone while he left to put an end to the purge.


    Leo had kindly asked one of the mages how many of them there were, and received a terror filled eighty two as an answer. He didn''t have the time to comb the town without using some very experimental ideas, and after his first gravity incident, he wanted to test such things in a more controlled environment with a clear mind first.


    Suffice to say that current circumstances were too fucked for that option.


    The human originally hoped that whoever was in charge would just shit themselves at the sight of Fel, letting him use them to order every mage in town to the base with a sound spell. Unfortunately that was not the case, as he spotted another dragon with clear hostages when flying over the area.


    It only took the mystery dragon implying forced consent on Fel for the summon to lose it, especially after seeing what happened to Kesl not too long ago. He cast the atomizing spell on reflex, relieving the sick bastard of his wrists and tail. Hostages freed, he pulled them back to safety. As well as Fel, because it was clear that the dragon was basically a de facto leader, and Fel would definitely kill the shithead before Leo could make use of him.


    Ignoring Fel''s outburst, Leo took a glance at a large pile of mutilated bodies that seemed casually thrown to the side of the large street, and any consideration for his own restraint was dissolved too.


    ¡°Sorry Fel, but I''ll need him alive for just a little while longer than I intended¡­¡±


    There was, however, no tomorrow for any of these monsters.


    _________________________________________


    Rak


    Rak was almost unable to process what happened as he glanced between the bleeding stubs of where his missing limbs used to be, and the mage standing in front of Fel and his former hostages.


    The dragon scowled at the insect between him and the others, piecing together what happened. ¡®Was I ¡­ wounded by this bug¡­? I, a dragon who could squash armies, was harmed by this lowly thing?!¡¯ His thoughts screamed along with a rage filled shriek, as he fully shifted into his massive second form.


    He grew into a four legged, three storied high, gray scaled, behemoth of a winged lizard that was nearly a hundred feet long from head to tail. Unfurling his massive leathery wings, they shadowed ominously over the ants below him, and the hands and tail of his second form replaced his missing ones.


    Leo, as Fel called it, looked up at him with annoyance. ¡°Change back, or lose your wings.¡± It commanded, the nonchalant threat dulling his anger a bit as he cocked his head in confusion at the insignificant little thing below him.


    ¡®This pest dares to order me, and in my second form? Is he suicidal or just a fool?¡¯


    Rak barked a deep gravelly laugh. ¡°I don''t know how you managed to cut the limbs off my weaker form, but I''d rather die than take orders from an in-Ahhhh!¡± He howled in pain as his wings were ripped off with some strange spell.


    The little bug crossed his arms and walked closer to him, completely disregarding the monumental size difference between them. ¡°I will not repeat myself. Next you will lose your tail.¡±


    ¡®This filthy thing dares to make light of me?! I''ll crush it like the worthless insect it is!¡¯ He scowled at the disgusting creature, his thoughts spiraling into a rage as he raised his claws to strike.


    ¡°You insignificant lit-AHHHH!¡± He screeched in agony as the street was filled with the sounds of flesh being torn apart.


    ¡°I''m running out of safe parts to rip. So seeing as your full forms don''t share damage, next I''ll start breaking bones.¡± It remarked with a commanding malice, glowering hatefully as his mutilated tail was casually flung to the side.


    For the first time in Rak''s life, he was afraid. And not only was he afraid, he felt the chill of death when he looked upon the small thing with much clearer eyes. He didn''t notice it before, probably because he was in a blinding rage, but it was pouring out more mana than he could ever imagine any creature wielding.


    It was like he was staring into an abyss, and unfortunately for him, it was staring back.


    Rak''s eyes went wide as he looked down at the creature in sheer terror, and he started to tremble while taking a few slow steps back. ¡°By the gods, what ar-AHHHgghhh!¡± He was cut off again by the spine chilling crunching of bone, as one of his legs became twisted and mangled.


    The sound made even the little thing slightly wince, but after the creature took another glance toward the pile of bodies, any sympathy that it had instantly vanished. ¡°Since I can only guess that you''ve somehow forgotten. I told you to change back.¡± It commanded once again, and Rak quickly shifted back without a word, the stubs of his arms and tail still dripping blood.


    It walked over to the terrified dragon, who tripped backwards in fear and screamed in pain when he landed on the base of his cut tail. ¡°Now you''re going to say exactly what I tell you. And if you say anything else, I will cauterize your limbs with temperatures so high, that even a dragon like you will feel it. Do I make myself clear?¡± It ordered with cold eyes staring down at him, the dragon now a broken mess of his former self.


    Rak nodded with sheer terror plastered across his face as Leo started to instruct him on what to say. Then the creature cast a massively wide spread spell that seemed to be directed everywhere, and a nearly omnipresent voice could be heard throughout Telnar when Rak started to speak.


    ¡°This is the guardian, Rak. All mages cease your attacks and come to the front of the former guard base. Also, do not attack any more people on your way back, this is a direct order. Disobey and I will personally skin you alive.¡± Rak repeated multiple times before his captor ended the spell.


    Then Fel marched toward him with a blinding rage.


    ¡°Done? Now let me skin the bastard!¡± She snarled, causing Rak to stumble back in fear once more, because Fel could very well do that with the state he was in.


    The creature held her back with magic while wearing a sympathetic expression. ¡°What I plan for him will help us, trust me Fel.¡± It paused to look over the pile of mutilated corpses, and Rak realized that he was already a dead man walking.


    ¡°He will get what he deserves.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Fel was filled with a rage and hatred that she hadn''t felt since she killed all those nobles for their sick thrills, right before her grandfather died. She didn''t just want Rak dead, but would also see him suffer for all that he''s done. As hypocritical as she knew it was, she wanted to set an example of what would happen to those who relished in the suffering of others.


    Not just end him, but make sure that any like him would have second thoughts about ever treading his sick and self indulgent path.


    The woman''s light grayish blue eyes were fixed on Rak with murderous intent. ¡®I''ll trust Leo for now, but this garbage will die before the day is done¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Sel


    Sel had to witness many gruesome killings, be audience to a dragon fight, was nearly killed by a dragon, and watched what she could only assume was a minor god playing mortal mutilate said dragon.


    Safe to say, Sel was nearing the end of her mental endurance for today.


    Leo ordered Vesta, the rebel leader, to regroup her scattered forces and start aiding those still alive, as well start taking a body count on the town.


    The potential minor god turned to regard Sel, who gulped under the hard look to his glowing white eyes. ¡°You are the leader of the guard, right? I know that we were the ones who brought this hell on your town, but will you be willing to help us? If not, then you are free to leave and rejoin the town as a civilian, or leave Telnar all together. The choice is yours.¡±


    Sel looked upon the slightly glowing man with a fair amount of caution and confusion. ¡®He''s letting me have a choice? What''s more, he''s talking to me like an equal, and actually requesting my help instead of ordering it. With the power that he showed, I would have expected to be forced to get on my hands and knees and grovel at his feet as I begged for my life. I''m almost tempted to ask if he is a minor god, but what does it matter? My town is in ruins, and my people need help.¡¯ The thought finished as she felt a determination wash over her.


    Sel sneered at Rak, who was trembling on his knees next to Leo. ¡°Considering that my ''kingdom''s'' response was to write off the lives of everyone in the town, and send sick sadistic monsters to kill all those I was sworn to protect.¡± She spit on the broken dragon. ¡°It would be an honor to serve my town again.¡± She finished with a practiced salute.


    The powerful being cocked his head slightly, gave her a once over, then smirked. ¡°Okay then, reestablish your guard and assist us in our efforts, and tomorrow I''ll need to fill you in on what we do from here, as well as a job opportunity you might be interested in.¡± He ordered before she left to assist the town.


    ¡®Thank the gods that he wasn''t just another arrogant ass of a lord.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    One by one, mages started showing up, and Leo restrained them with magic as they appeared, pulling them into a formation as they floated just a foot off the ground. Most of them initially yelled and struggled, but when they saw their guardian on his knees with blood dripping from the stubs of his arms, they quickly cowed into frozen fear and shock.


    First he wanted to get a quick estimation of the death toll, so Leo walked up to one of the mages and asked each one how many people they killed. Mass murderer number one had their head instantly twisted backwards after they refused to answer, forcing him on to the next one, who pissed themselves after giving a number.


    He repeated the process without any resistance from the mages, but a few of them fainted as he approached them, which prompted him to kill them if they didn''t give a number before they passed out as an example to the rest.


    When Leo was done, he walked back to Fel with a chillingly cold expression. ¡°An average of fifty people¡­ with all eighty two mages, plus this sick fuck, that''s well over four thousand people¡­¡± He remarked through gritted teeth.


    Fel''s rage towards Rak visibly subsided for a moment as her expression became mournful. ¡®Less than I expected, still more than should have ever been lost¡­¡¯ She thought as her eyes became distant, before they refocused on Leo. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°So what are you going to do with them?¡± She asked while gesturing to the restrained mages, and he could see that she was eager to get it over with already.


    The glow of mana around him momentarily flared, as his visage hardened into determination.


    ¡°Now you will take me to Selaria''s academy.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    All of Fel''s anger immediately dropped at Leo''s request, as there was an unsettling implication, causing her to take a cautious step back. ¡°Leo¡­ You''re not planning on wiping out the academy¡­ Right?¡± That course of action was a bit too far, even for her.


    The enraged man slightly relaxed, the glow in his eyes blinking out for only a moment to show a deep brown. ¡°No, I won''t harm people who weren''t directly involved here, but I need to go there if we don''t want any more trouble from Selaria.¡±


    It was apparent that he wasn''t going to hide anymore, a decision Fel understood and wasn''t going to argue against after seeing how powerful his magic was. But now that her head was clear enough to consider the situation, she felt mild fear with how casually he had been killing what were essentially completely defenseless people.


    It was a moment of clarity that made knots form in the pit of her stomach, as if watching herself from a third person view, since she herself would have killed them all so casually and with the same cold anger.


    Seeing those actions committed by another, more powerful being, made her worry if he wouldn''t step back behind the clear line that he set up for himself. And how all he''s done up till now would affect him when, or if, he does.


    Fel couldn''t help but give him a concerned look, her internal conflict warring with itself to comment on it. ¡°Alright, but¡­¡± She shot a glance to Rak, doubt and hesitation quickly replaced with a muted anger.


    Whatever he had planned, she didn''t think it a good idea to sow that seed of doubt. Nor did any of these inhuman pieces of garbage deserve any half measures.


    ¡°Nevermind. let''s go.¡± She told him while phasing in her wings to take flight, hoping that she wasn''t mistaken in choosing to tread this new path.


    ¡­


    The dragoness felt a tense air around her summon as they flew to Selaria''s academy, their captives being pulled along from behind. She was worried about him hurting people that had nothing to do with the massacre, and knew that she couldn''t stop him if he wanted to, so she would just have to trust him at his word.


    ¡®My first real leap of faith with him huh¡­? I hope that you are more like me than I¡¯d like to admit¡­¡¯ She thought as they reached the academy.


    Hovering just outside the gate, Leo lined up all the mages into a floating grid with their backs to the entrance, then flew up a little higher to gaze over the academy grounds. It was an estate with four large buildings, not of selarin architecture. The design was closer to tiefling, but much of it was entirely stone, which was the only touch of selarin craftsmanship. They were long, massive, and blocky structures, with the main building being five stories high and having large ornate windows all over the sides which were divided by large stone buttresses.


    Leo waved a hand in the air, and every window on every building bled away into nothing. With another wave, hundreds of people started flying out of the windows, and Fel''s gut sank a little at their flailing. She was slightly relieved when she realized that he was only emptying the buildings, as all those people were placed safely outside the gate into an ever growing crowd and in full view of all those restrained from the attack on Telnar.


    ¡®Ah, he''s making an example of them then¡­¡¯ The thought both relieved and unnerved her, morbidly interested in what kind of message he would send.


    When there seemed to be no one left to pull out, Leo floated in between those restrained in the grid, and those on the ground who were utterly confused.


    The human looked upon those pulled out of the academy with a somber expression, and cast another spell. ¡°Hello to all those who are studying or are employed at this academy. My name is Leo, and I am here today because of a multitude of reasons.¡± His voice boomed over the crowd, being amplified by a sound spell.


    He held out a wide arm to gesture to those restrained behind him. ¡°These people and what they''ve done, is the main one. Now many of you might recognize those behind me, and yes, some of them are dead, and that partly has to do with why I''m here. These people were sent by your academy to exterminate an entire town, not only that but many of them took sick pleasure in killing, torturing, and having their way with their victims. Some of which were VERY close to me.¡± He finished with a growl, before casually waving a hand up.


    Rak was pulled out from behind the gate to be in full view of the crowd, the dismembered dragon trembling with fear as Leo gestured to the broken man.


    ¡°And this sick bastard that you see here, took his time getting off on it.¡± Leo paused to start pacing in the air, locking his hands behind his back while he walked as if he was on the ground.


    ¡°Now I like to think of myself as a good, calm, and restrained man, but when over four thousand innocents get butchered for fun when I had the power to stop it? Then saying that I''ve lost my shit is only a surface level description, because that''s like saying I''ve had an okay day.¡± He stopped pacing to slam Rak to the ground onto his knees, making a slight crater just in front of the gate.


    ¡°But the reason why I am here isn''t because of what happened to those people.¡± The frighteningly powerful summon scowled, and his body glowed brightly with mana that seemed to pull off him like fire.


    Everyone simply watched on in petrified silence, all the mages able to feel the abyss of mana pouring out of the man.


    ¡°It is  however, because of the reality that it happened at all that has made me realize something far too late.¡± He stopped to snap his fingers, and all the structures behind him started to slowly bleed away into nothing, and a massive amount of grayish brown dust slowly gathered into a ball next to Rak, seemingly out of nowhere.


    The display started a commotion amongst the crowd of mages, provoking Leo to snap at them. ¡°Quiet! ... As I was saying, what I''ve realized was that I never needed to hide, and that if I wasn''t sneaking around and playing secret savior, then the massacre at Telnar would never have happened.¡± He paused to look over the crowd, and snapped his fingers again.


    Screams of pain could be heard coming from Rak, as grayish brown dust started to form on his skin. Although she felt no sadness for the sadist, Fel couldn''t help the horror she felt as she realized that it was sinking into him, shuddering at what that must feel like.


    Leo''s body glowed brightly. ¡°Now all of you may be wondering who I am exactly. Who is this near god like being to wield such magic? Well in light of my realization, I''ll tell you, because I am most certainly not a god. I am a man, a human, a lord, an arch mage, and a very pissed off summon.¡± He stated with a third snap of his fingers, and all those restrained behind him started to bleed away, all of them screaming in terror as they realized what was happening to them.


    The dramatically pissed off human spread his arms wide as the buildings were nearly gone. ¡°And I want you all to spread the word that if you ever hurt the people of Telnar or those close to me, then I will personally make you, and all that you hold dear¡­¡±


    He trailed off as the last of the restrained mages and what was left of the buildings vanished. ¡°Simply bleed away.¡± He finished right as Rak stopped screaming, a total and chilling silence filling the area.


    Leo floated down to Rak, who seemed to have completely turned into a metal statue, his face permanently warped into sheer agony.


    He spat on the statue and gestured to it for the crowd. ¡°And let this be a monumental reminder, that I will make good on that promise. Whether it''s kingdoms, dragons, or even gods. Cross that line with me, and I will not hesitate to meet you on the other side.¡±


    With his cold and malice filled speech concluded, he floated up to Fel, who herself was utterly speechless.


    ¡°Come on, I want to go home¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was flying alongside Fel as his rage and anger started to fade away, fast, as other emotions finally surfaced while he went over all that happened with a clear head.


    ¡®I was hiding to keep myself and everyone around me safe, but the reality was that nothing could harm me, and everyone else got hurt as a result. If only I didn''t hide. If only I had flattened the area earlier. If only I destroyed Slessi''s collar before-¡¯ The stream of self doubt stopped, as a chilling thought finally reared its ugly head.


    ¡°I just killed nearly eighty people¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    As Fel and Leo flew back to Telnar, she did not know what to feel about his little speech and actions. Fear, respect, reverence, horror, satisfaction, awe, sadness, and even more emotions filled her thoughts, but the one thing that confused her was the lack of worry about Leo revealing himself.


    ¡®I thought I would be more afraid of Leo exposing himself to the world, but it''s probably the smartest move, considering he could just snap away people on a whim, which is definitely way scarier. But his anger should be fading soon, so hopefully he''ll step back behi-¡¯ A loud crash sounded from the ground behind her, jarring her out of her thoughts.


    Looking around, Fel noticed that her summon was no longer with her, and after backtracking a bit she found him sitting in the middle of a large crater.


    She flew down, hearing Leo sob heavily into his arms while they were folded on top of his knees. He was no longer overflowing with mana, which made it easier to approach him now that the ocean of power that he seemed to have been pulling from was gone, but it was difficult for her to speak for an entirely different reason.


    ¡°Why, why didn''t I feel anything then?! I just twisted there heads like a fucking bottle cap, and I felt nothing?! Am I no better than those I killed?! God fucking damn it!¡± The self hate in his voice touched something deep within the dragoness.


    Fel''s light grayish blue eyes softened and her long tail drooped at the sight, as the display brought on her own memories of the first lives she took out of anger. The deep pain of realizing that there was in fact a monster within yourself, and that it was just as merciless as those you despised while it hid right below the surface.


    Although Fel was justified in her first killing, a bunch of sick mages that were torturing people, she couldn''t even sleep for a few days after that, and it took weeks to come to terms with her actions, all on her own. Even months after the fact, she still had traces of self hatred for how casually she took a life, but eventually she did grow numb to it, especially when working under Yez.


    As Fel stared pitifully at Leo, she steeled herself, and swore that she wouldn''t let him go through that pain alone, nor would she let him grow numb to his reverence for life. She paced over to his side and knelt down to bring him into an embrace. And as she pulled him close to her chest, she curled her long tail around him and phased out her wings.


    His summoner gently ran a hand through his soft short brown hair, trying to comfort him the best she could. ¡°Shhhh, Leo. You did what you thought was right.¡± She told him in an almost motherly tone to calm him.


    ¡°But I felt nothing! I literally snapped my fingers and people died, while I felt nothing but hatred! For fucks sake, they were completely restrained!¡± He wailed in hitched tones while his head laid against her shoulder.


    Fel grimaced, unable to downplay the weight associated with ending a life. ¡®God''s I suck at this, this would have never worked for me¡­ But if he''s like me, then I should do it how I would need it done to me.¡¯ She thought as she pulled him off to look directly into his eyes, which had returned to their original dark brown color.


    ¡°Did or didn''t those people torture, rape, and massacre thousands of innocents and soldiers alike in Telnar?¡± She questioned him directly, her expression hardened.


    The emotionally crushed man winced at her bluntness. ¡°That''s¡­ That''s not the problem.¡± He deflected while breaking eye contact, but she placed a hand on his chin to gently force his gaze.


    ¡°Okay, you were angry when you killed them, so what? The reason you killed them was because they were vile pieces of shit that got off on what they did, it was a mercy that you didn''t make them suffer more for what they''ve done.¡± She continued bluntly, making sure every word landed.


    Leo was frozen for a few moments, unable to come up with a counter to her points as his mouth opened and closed multiple times. But then he started trembling. ¡°It was just so easy¡­¡± He breathed out, as he slumped completely in her arms.


    Those simple words hit her at her core, and she began to tear up for the first time in years. ¡°Yeah¡­ I know. And that''s why you need to remember the reasons why you did what you did, and if you felt like you messed up or were wrong in some way, then learn from those mistakes. Use that to better yourself now, so that you can be proud of yourself later.¡± She told him softly, one of the hardest lessons anyone could learn.


    Silence reigned between them for a few moments, before Leo started chuckling between soft sobs, which prompted a confused Fel to ask if something was wrong.


    Leo finally relaxed into her embrace, still chuckling as he did so. ¡°Fuck, now I really can''t say that you''re nothing like me.¡± He remarked in a little disbelief, but there was a warmth behind the comment.


    Fel hugged her arms around him a little tighter, and realized that tears started streaming down her face at some point without her notice. ¡°Hey, I''m the one who summoned you. If anything, you''re like me.¡± She responded playfully.


    Leo scoffed with mocked offence. ¡°Damn, I must be full of myself then if that''s your response.¡± He remarked warmly as he pulled away to look at her.


    Fel smiled, while her chest felt a bit lighter. ¡°And I''m such an ass if you could ruin a moment like this.¡± She jabbed jokingly, while she became lost in his eyes.


    Leo seemed to have become just as transfixed as Fel, while they just stared into each other''s eyes, both of them knowing what they wanted to do, but letting the moment last as long as possible.


    After a minute of really seeing each other, they synchronously both leaned in for a light, but emotion filled kiss.


    ¡®Okay¡­ Maybe he''s above tolerable...¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 44

    _________________________________________


    Kesl


    Violated, helpless, and beyond pissed off with the world, that is what Kesl felt as he barricaded the back entrance, so that the inn had only one way in. While he was disgusted and physically sickened by the experience, he would gladly go through it a million times more if it meant keeping his family safe.


    When he was finished blocking up the back door, he walked back into the dining area where his sister, niece''s, Allis, and Sciesch were waiting around the table.


    Kesl took a seat next to his sister, across from Allis, while the wooden chair creaked under his weight. ¡°So, mind filling us all in on our mutual friend the summon, as well as what the hells happening to Telnar?¡± He asked Allis while interlacing his fingers on the table.


    Allis''s hood slumped a bit as she let out an exhausted sigh, seeming like an entirely new person compared to her usual snide exchanges he had to deal with. ¡°Well since you know, and I''m pretty sure Leo''s secret is paper thin anyway with how blatant he''s dealing with the attack, he wouldn''t mind me explaining everything, but where do I even start¡­¡±


    The mage began from the moment the strange man walked into her clinic, and told them everything she saw and discovered since meeting him. From the duel with Fel to the truth about the dragons, her audience''s expressions fell more into disbelief, and everyone was silent for a few moments after she finished.


    Tissa laughed nervously while scratching at her blue scales. ¡°This¡­ This can''t be real right? I mean the academies, the eras, even Leo winning against a dragon, it''s all just insane.¡±


    Vissa nodded in agreement. ¡°I mean come on, it''s way too much to believe. Right mom, Kesl?¡± She asked, expecting more agreement, but Kesl and his sister gave each other a knowing look.


    Kessa turned to her daughters with a look of resignation. ¡°Earlier he ripped the roof off the guild and practically flung it into the heavens, just to leave the building faster.¡±


    Kesl leaned back in his seat with an arched brow, opting to not even comment on that. ¡°And he also instantly killed those five mages without even touching them, plus it explains all the enchanted items and new recipes. I don''t know about all that stuff with the dragons, but I definitely believe he''s a summon.¡±


    Sciesch coughed uncomfortably, her bright yellow eyes half lidded as they looked to the side. ¡°He''s a human, the same race that freed my people during the demonic inversions. And I can confirm that he did in fact win against a dragon, since I''ve met said dragon and they admitted it. It also explains why the Archive never told us how to cast summoning magic, we can''t, and we might just start worshiping the dragons if it did.¡± She remarked grimly, and Kesl furrowed his brow as he became deep in thought.


    ¡®Damn, It''s hard to imagine the little guy being so¡­ powerful. But from how it looks, it seems that he was just a normal guy who stumbled into god-like abilities, and even though he wanted a peaceful life, he couldn''t stand living in a world that was so screwed up when he could do something about it. If I was in his shoes, and thank the gods I''m not, I''d probably do the same.¡¯


    The large selarin glanced to look at the streaks of blood that led to the pile of bodies he tossed out, realizing that if he was in his shoes, and this happened right under his nose, then he''d be beyond pissed off too.


    That brought up an old saying that his father used to tell him, before he was quickly forced to grow up.


    ¡®Fear the quiet man, fear the peaceful man, and fear the man who just wants to be left alone¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Glia


    When Glia awoke, she was surprised to find herself laying in a bed back at the inn. While wondering how she got here, she cursed at the horrific nightmare she had, attributing her lingering pains to hitting the mug a little too hard. Looking to her right, she saw Elaria passed out in a chair next to her, their arms folded on the side of the bed as they slept.


    The bedridden woman shifted to get up, but realized something was wrong. Immediately flinging the covers off of her, she winced at the sight of her missing legs. They were amputated nearly halfway up her thighs, and she could see that many of the scales around the base were dried and scarred from the fire. If her scales weren''t already black, then many of the scales that were just below her hips would have shown a darker color, since many of them seemed more rough the further down she traced her fingers along them.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Too much to ask for it to have been a dream¡­¡± She sighed sadly. ¡°And I guess I can remove standing guard from my preferred skill set¡­¡± The pitiful remark was followed by a stream of tears down her face, reality setting in like  a lead weight around her neck.


    Usually Glia would see the best of a situation, but looking at her legs triggered something in her, as she was taken back to the moment she lost them to those sick fucks. Her breathing quickened and her chest tightened to an unbearable degree, as she began to relive the entire short yet horrific experience in her head.


    The indescribable agony of her legs being charred to a crisp. The pain only dulling slightly when the fire had nothing left to burn. The smell of her own flesh hanging in the air. The sounds of the sadistic laughs of those monsters. All of it warped and twisted together as the fire slowly inched up her legs.


    The whole moment seemed to bleed so well into reality that Glia only snapped out of it when she finally felt the embrace of Elaria, who at some point pulled herself onto the bed to comfort the quivering wreck.


    Elaria held her tight, whispering words of comfort and safety, while Glia finally started to calm down, her mind slowly pulling itself away from the horrendously vivid experience.


    When the frantic selarin fully got a grip on her emotions, she thanked Elaria deeply for comforting her, then asked her what happened after she passed out. Her friend recounted how Leo suddenly appeared not long after her blackout, removing her lost legs and healing over the damage before flying them over to the inn.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Glia smiled softly, feeling like the debt she owed to him was one that could never be paid for in coin. ¡°Looks like Leo helped us out yet again, though I hoped he could have helped with this...¡± She tried to joke, but it didn''t quite land with an honest disappointment seeping through.


    Elaria looked lighter as she explained that Leo didn''t have the time to properly help with her legs, because he had to leave and end the purge on the town. So he''d either try to regrow them with magic or come up with something that would allow her to walk again, and Glia felt hope returning to her at the explanation.


    Elaria started to slump, her expression becoming pained. ¡°Glia, I''m so sorry tha-¡±


    ¡°No! You don''t need to apologize for shit! You weren''t the one to take my legs, and you saved us both by killing those fucks yourself. So don''t you dare blame yourself!¡± She chastised with a deep frown, her face scrunched up in irritation.


    Elaria winced and looked away painfully. ¡°I know that logically, but I feel like it''s all my fault. If I didn''t trip then yo-¡±


    Glia grabbed her friend by the shoulders to force eye contact with her. ¡°If that''s the case, then I forgive you. Alright? Also, If Leo manages to give me my legs back, then this whole thing really shouldn''t get you down, so please just forget about it.¡± She explained to her while a painful image of the mages flashed across her mind.


    ¡®I just hope that I can¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Even though Glia was trying so hard to alleviate Elaria of her guilt, the green selarin simply couldn''t shake it, especially seeing her friend break down after waking up. Thankfully Leo''s voice echoed alongside Glia''s words, that she just needed to learn and grow from what she saw as her own mistakes, instead of letting it weigh her down.


    ¡®I need to try and conquer my fears if I never want to make that mistake again, and as powerful as Leo is, I can''t expect him to always come and save me and magically fix the situation, I¡¯ll never be able to get over my fears otherwise.¡¯


    Eventually Elaria carried Glia back up to the dining area for dinner, Kesl having promptly decided to go all out with a feast to try to take everyone''s mind off the events of the day. She got the feeling that he was mostly busying himself after¡­ Yeah¡­ It probably didn''t help that every woman was awkwardly avoiding even glancing at the man, and might have just been another reason for him locking himself away in the kitchen for a while.


    Then there was the eating area itself. Although the evidence of the massacre was cleaned out of the inn, thanks to many of the enchanted items that the generous summon created, much of the furniture was thrown out due to damage, making the large space seem even more destitute.


    Small talk filled the space for a while, which was when Elaria''s thoughts drew into worrying about her absent lover. She knew that there was little to actually worry about when it came to him, for obvious reasons, but it was unavoidable after what happened to Glia. Her gut twisted into guilt ridden knots every time she saw her friend''s injury, and the thought of something similar happening to Leo was one that distressed her even more.


    Those concerns soon validated upon his return, albeit in an entirely different way.


    The emotionally inept selarin usually had trouble registering the feelings of another, but she somehow knew that there was something wrong with him. Much like Glia, even if not as blatant, he was trying to hide an unseen pain, or was pushing it away at the very least.


    The man had immediately set to making jokes toward the shock exhibited by those who had yet to meet Fel, which helped to lighten the mood a bit as the two joked about it. It seemed to work, as it didn''t take long for them to get used to Fel, the human taking the effort to respectfully introduce her to everyone. That more than anything else was a surprise to those who knew how the two normally acted towards each other.


    There were also his brisk answers to how he put a stop to the attack, none of it going unnoticed to anyone. It was clear that he had gone through with disposing of the attackers in what might have been a particularly grim way, given how he ominously dodged that particular subject. A muted and foreign feeling of anger swelled in her chest as she recalled the two mages who tortured her friend, hoping that whatever happened to the rest was especially painful.


    Despite her curiosity though, she thoughtfully decided against commenting on it any time soon. Honestly, it seemed like everyone silently agreed to simply ignore the last few hours, most appearing done with the day but desperate for any kind of comfort. Thus, most of the evening dinner was spent with everyone getting to know one another, as they told stories and jokes while they ate.


    It wasn''t long until an air of bitter sweet filled the area as the small distraction helped, even though there was the occasional grim expression that fell through when silence overstayed its welcome. Elaria was more accustomed to this kind of tragedy, but everyone else wasn''t, and it showed in how clearly they were trying to force any kind of normalcy.


    As the evening went on, Elaria noticed that the animosity that was normally there between Leo and Fel, was just gone. In fact, they acted as if they''d known each other for years. So as Leo was attempting to heal Glia''s legs for the fifth time in the past hour, Elaria was going to ask about their change in disposition when Glia cut in.


    ¡°So you two finally fucked, huh?¡± She asked the pair in her usual bluntness, all while wearing a sly expression.


    The comment caused Leo and Fel to turn beet red, and avoid eye contact with each other. Leo gave Elaria that look that instantly pissed her off again, but before she could say something about it, she noticed that Fel gave her that same look, both feeling more pleading.


    ¡®Wait, didn''t she say she wanted to fuck him? Why would¡­ Oh.¡¯ She realized that they were more or less the same, and that if even Fel was acting like this, then it might be something more than just sex.


    Elaria deadpanned at the two, understanding the desire to relieve the stress physically, but still immensely irritated with him wanting permission, again. ¡°No Glia, they haven''t yet. But given how Leo is requesting, again, I think they should go find a room after he gives his magic a few more tries.¡± She  was holding out hope that Leo could find a way to grow her friend a pair of new ones, but it was becoming increasingly apparent that it was not going to happen.


    Glia smiled wide while playfully pushing Leo away. ¡°Oh hell no. You two need to get that out of your system, especially since your failing efforts on my legs seem to be stressing you out even more.¡± She finished reassuringly, though Elaria could see the disappointed acceptance her eyes held.


    A moment of hesitation passed between the summon and his summoner before they both literally flew down stairs, drawing a genuine chuckle from Glia. ¡°Wow, I hope she leaves enough for the rest of us, but at least they''re no longer bickering like children crushing on each other.¡± There was a fond wistfulness in her tone, her amusement feeling more authentic.


    Elaria couldn''t help but agree, glad to find some small amount of good in all this. ¡®They really are so much alike, and I''m glad they acknowledged it.¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 45 - End of Arc 1 (Telnar)

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was standing over Slessi, regret and sadness hammering at his heart as he looked down at her deceased body. After he attempted to kneel down to get rid of her collar, he was pulled away from her lifeless corpse and lifted in front of a figure completely made of black smoke. The shade''s eyes shone through the darkness that enveloped them, and blazed as a brilliantly bright blue glow.


    He tried to scream, but the sound of bone snapping brought him into another setting.


    Elaria was on her knees crying over Glia, and the shade was standing right behind her. It slowly turned its head to regard him, before snapping its fingers, and the two selarin were both engulfed in flames. They became ash within seconds as he futilely ran to save them, but another snapping of bone brought him somewhere else.


    The human was now standing in the inn, laying on his back next to Kesl, who was crying as his niece''s lifeless corpses were off to the side. Another snap pulled him away before he could process any more of his situation.


    Fel was in front of the shade, kneeling down as she shook with terror, her hands and tail missing as she cried. Again, he attempted to help, but was just pulled into the next horrific scene where he was floating next to Vesta and Sel, who''s heads twisted around when they didn''t respond to the shade.


    The shade walked up to him while he screamed in a pained rage, but it simply cocked its head before another snap popped him somewhere else.


    Leo was in a crowd of faceless mages, looking up as all of his friends and loved ones floated helplessly above the gate, while Fel was in a crater just in front of it. He tried to push desperately through the crowd, but when he finally got through, every one above was gone and Fel was a metal statue.


    Dropping to his hands and knees, Leo wailed in anguish as the shade walked up to him, the malevolent black mist trailing behind it. He looked up at his tormentor, all the will to fight having left him. The shade knelt down to his eye level, and the smoke pulled away from it to reveal his own face.


    His other self sighed, shook their head, and then snapped their fingers.


    ¡­


    Leo woke up back at the inn, laying in bed with Fel as she held him close to her chest. He was shivering in a cold sweat, as she softly ran one hand across his back and the other through his hair.


    Only after he began to rapidly calm down, adrenalin falling in equal measure, did he start to recognize the situation. ¡°I guess it was too much for me to hope that your little pep talk and a bit of fun would magically heal all that mental damage¡­¡± He joked with a morbid undertone, his voice a little shaky from the horrifying nightmare.


    Fel tightened her embrace, and tilted his head back to look down into his eyes. ¡°It''s more than I ever got. But yeah, It''s going to take some time for you to fully come to terms with it.¡± She reassured as she continued to stroke a soothing hand through his hair.


    Leo''s own eyes softened as they drifted off within Fel''s, the light catching on them as he could make out his reflection. ¡°How did you manage it?¡± He asked with a deep unease, concerned with how his mirror dealt with something like this.


    His summoner let out a half hearted laugh, practically oozing self pity. ¡°Alcohol, ugly crying, and a whole lotta sex. Definitely not the best remedy, but I made due.¡± She admitted with a slight apprehension overshadowing her attempt at levity.


    The human chuckled sympathetically, appreciating her trying to distract him. ¡°Don''t know about the first two, but that last one definitely relieved some stress.¡± He shifted up to be completely eye level with Fel and gave her a light kiss. ¡°And thanks for at least softening the blow, even though my emotions and subconsciousness are going to be fucking with me for god knows how long.¡±


    Fel giggled, the pleasant sound making him reflexively smile. ¡°You''re welcome, but you should know that I wanted it just as badly. I just wish I could walk right, I basically had to crawl to the bathroom a few hours ago.¡± She remarked while smirking at her own misfortune.


    Shaking his head, he pulled away from her embrace. ¡°Well, at least my nickname has a new meaning, gonna have to come up with something for you at some point.¡± He playfully teased while taking a deep breath as he sat up right to stretch his arms.


    Sitting upright alongside him, Fel pulled back her silky smooth silvery strands of hair. ¡°Good luck with that.¡± She paused to give him a quick peck on the cheek. ¡°Well my dear paper dragon, mind assisting me in washing off as well as helping me go upstairs? I''m starting to get a little hungry, and I don''t want to slip in the shower, or fall on my face trying to get to the dining area.¡±


    With much of the aftermath to deal with today, he was going to take the little pleasures where he could get them. Which is why he tossed off the sheets and used magic to help him bridal-carry Fel to the shower, who very much enjoyed it, as she snuggled into his chest like the spot was made for her.


    ¡­


    When they finally freshened up and headed up stairs, everyone else was already there, apart from Allis who said she would leave early to the base. The forgetful human immediately noticed the looks that they were getting and realized that, yet again, he forgot to cast a sound spell.


    He closed his eyes and scowled at the ceiling for a moment. ¡®I swear to god, I will enchant every door in the inn when I get the chance¡­¡¯


    After setting Fel down at Glia''s table, he tried to see if he could do anything about her legs. He winced at the injury, and again attempted to slowly regrow them with magic a number of ways, but the spell failed every time.


    ¡®It seems that only a general understanding of anatomy isn''t enough to help the spell go through. It might be that I also need to read up on selarin physiology, but the information here would probably be too primitive to help with this, and I know for a fact that there aren''t any books on full scale cellular regeneration just lying around¡­¡¯


    A resigned and deeply dejected sigh escaped his lips, before he lifted himself up from kneeling in front of her injury. ¡°Sorry Glia, but it seems I''ll have to come up with something else so you can walk again. Maybe enchanted wooden legs? I could make them fully customizable¡­ Internal storage¡­ Survival systems¡­ Hmm¡­ Would that be alri-¡± He was cut short by a very excited shout.


    ¡°Magic legs?! Hell yeah!¡± The black scaled selarin yelled with a child-like smile spreading across her face while pumping a fist in the air.


    Leo was taken aback for a moment, but chuckled at the display. ¡°Glad you''re excited, but it might take a few weeks, since I have a lot of other stuff on my plate.¡±


    The selarin nodded in understanding, the scales on her head glinting as they caught the light, which only contrasted heavily with the dull and burnt ones around her thighs. ¡°That''s fine. The town needs you way more than me at the moment, so take your time.¡± She paused to show a very smug and slightly lustful smile. ¡°Now tell me about how you slew a dragon.¡± His first thought was about Rak, but her expression told him exactly what dragon she meant.


    ¡°I''m sure my conquest can fill you in on the details¡­¡± He tilted his head toward Fel and smirked, the conquest in question rolling her eyes with a slight scoff, but the smile on her face betrayed her own amusement.


    Leo left the two and stepped over to Sciesch and Kessa''s table, wanting to know what the guild might do given the current situation. Sciesch avoided eye contact as he approached, and seemed a little irritated while she somehow blushed through her crimson complexion. Kessa meanwhile, was eyeing him with what appeared like both intrigue and a little trepidation.


    ¡°I''m guessing you heard as well¡­?¡± He remarked with an exhausted sigh.


    Kessa snorted, her chest bouncing slightly at the sharp movement. ¡°Kesl told us about the sound spell you usually use, but even if you did, the faint tremors that everyone felt through the walls would have caused us all to go check up on you two anyway.¡±


    ¡®Right, I increased my strength...¡¯ - ¡°Okay, but what''s up with you?¡± He asked the restless looking tiefling directly.


    Sciesch pouted while she used a fork to pick at her breakfast, seemingly unaware of how she should eat her butter toasted grilled cheese sandwich. ¡°You said that you''d get to her after me, so when I heard all that last night...¡±


    Confusion racked his mind while he tried to process that there was now a fucking queue. ¡°Ah¡­ Uh¡­ Sorry? I''ll make it up to you later, promise.¡± He reassured the sullen tiefling, utterly unsure how else to resolve¡­that.


    Sciesch''s tail swayed as she perked up a little. ¡°Alright. So, did you need something?¡±


    He took a seat at the table, shifting the back of his cloak to the side as he sat. ¡°I wanted to know what the guild might do with how things are at the moment, now that word is spreading about who I am. I have a few guesses, but I''d rather hear from people that actually work for them.¡±


    Kessa furrowed her brow as she folded her arms underneath her breasts, making them rise in a very provocative manner. ¡°Well, since the purge of Telnar failed, they would start demanding reparations from Selaria. They lost a lot of coin here, plus with you no longer hiding, they would probably condemn Selaria to get on your good side, maybe even start increasing prices to punish them or something.¡±


    The summon raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Really? I mean, I know that they want more of the crap that I can make, but would they really go that far?¡±


    Sciesch nodded in agreement with Kessa, while she thoughtfully twirled some of her hair. ¡°Knowing how pissed the guild was when they were locked out of the Archive, I wouldn''t be surprised if they pull out of Selaria all together. They would bend over backwards to get anything you can make.¡± She finished before taking a bite out of her sandwich, eliciting a small little moan of delight as her tail wagged happily.


    The fact that he was so valued now made him realize that he was going to be treated like a chess piece by other political powers. ¡°If that''s the case then I''ll make sure to take full advantage of their generosity while I can, before I cut ties. I get a strong feeling that they aren''t much of a bleeding heart, you know with the whole slavery thing.¡±


    Kessas visage became somber. ¡°Right, Slessi¡­¡±


    The name struck a cord deep within him as an image of the selarin''s lifeless body flashed across his mind, and he let out a pained breath as he abruptly got up from the table. ¡°I guess I''ll see you later. I''ve gotta talk with a few more people before heading out to check in at the base to see what I can do to help the town.¡± He said before taking his leave for the bar, where Elaria was talking to Kesl and his nieces.


    Kesl directed a somber looking smile toward him as he approached, but then his expression twisted into a slight frown. ¡°So, you enjoy yourself? I hope my bed was comfy.¡± The mountain of a man remarked in irritation as he tapped his dulled claw like nails on the bar top.


    The comparatively tiny man arched a brow at the now very uncomfortable situation he found himself in. ¡°It was¡­soft.¡± He responded while guiltily avoiding direct eye contact with his physically intimidating friend.


    Vissa and Tissa couldn''t suppress their amusement, as the two brightly colored selarins giggled uncontrollably at the situation. ¡°Come on Kesl, who else could say that a dragon got fucked silly on their bed.¡± Vissa remarked with a hand on her mouth, trying futilely to suppress her enjoyment at the pair''s expense.


    ¡®It seems like I''m not the only one finding enjoyment where they can¡­¡¯


    Kesl sighed disappointedly while he stared down at Leo, his expression seemingly resigned to the fact that there was nothing else for it. ¡°I guess, but that won''t stop me from burning it later. Anyway, sorry for keeping you up Elaria, here''s the food for you and Glia.¡±


    Elaria thanked Kesl as she grabbed the large breakfast tray, before giving Leo a stern look. ¡°I haven''t forgotten about how you requested, again. I''d pull you away now to talk about it, but I have a feeling that Fel would want to join in as well. So I''ll be waiting at the table with her and Glia.¡± She chastised before walking back to Glia''s table.


    Leo coughed awkwardly. ¡°Sorry about the bed, explains why there was a bit more furniture in there¡­¡± He grew a little more concerned. ¡°Also, I wanted to check up on you guys and see how you''re holding up.¡±


    Kesl rubbed the back of his neck, the muscles of his forearm bulging slightly beneath his dark green scales. ¡°Eh, the bed''s just a little thing, not really that bad, especially since you saved us. As for how I''m holding up? Well I''m pissed, but I am not gonna let some sick sleeves plague my thoughts, I would just be letting them hurt me from the grave.¡± He declared with a firm resolve.


    Leo gave the green giant a comforting smile before he turned to leave, but slowed his pace when he heard Vissa blurt out a very predictable request. ¡°Hey Leo, wanna fuck?¡± She asked, which prompted Kesl to slap the red scaled selarin upside their head.


    An exasperated sigh left him as he raised a thumbs up over his shoulders while continuing toward his destination. ¡°Sure, I''ll add you to the list. But if your sister wants a piece, then I''m taking you both as a pair.¡± He answered while continuing to walk away, hearing the squealing delight of the two selarins behind him, as well as a very audible facepalm from Kesl.


    When he finally returned to Glia''s table, he overheard Elaria talking to Fel. ¡°And that''s pretty much the issue with him.¡± Elaria finished with a hand rubbing her temple, while Leo took a seat at the table and was fully aware of exactly what the two were talking about.


    Fel shrunk in a bit, as she sheepishly scratched at her horns. ¡°That''s definitely an issue, but I think that also might have come from my own desires...¡± She admitted, while everyone around the table cocked their heads and let out a confused and simultaneous. ¡°What?¡±


    The dragoness sighed as she straightened up to explain. ¡°Not many people know this, but we dragons are one to one. So in terms of emotional commitment we mostly bond with a single partner, but due to a combination of our males having such long cooldown periods and females having insanely low fertility, we treat sex as just a casual outlet for stress. And here''s where my selfish desire comes in¡­ I think I wanted someone who surpassed those deficiencies, while being committed to me alone.¡±


    Elaria gave Fel a sympathetic look. ¡°I can''t fault you for that. It''s basically every woman''s small fantasy to have a man all to themselves, but in actuality it''s just not practical or all that stable. The issue with Leo is that he constantly seeks my permission, when it''s just sex. Since his world has no deficiencies, the culture he came from treats sex in a completely different way when it comes to relationships. And I''ve tried to look at it from his perspective and it''s fucked, especially with their birth rates. Like how are you even going to have the time for sex if you''re just two parents with more than three or four children, and then risk even more children to take care of when you give in, it''s no wonder they value it differently!¡± She finished with incredulity, the green scales on her face scrunching up in irritation.


    Fel looked at him with abject pity, which made him frown at the expression due to feeling as if he was being looked at like a mistreated animal.


    ¡°Hey, I''m getting better, I even have a list now!¡± He remarked defensively, assured in his openness on the topic, but mentally baffled that he was even in this kind of situation.


    Elaria deadpanned at him. ¡°Fucks sake, you shouldn''t even need one. Just take the woman wherever you can find a private space, not every encounter needs to be scheduled on a bed, especially since you can go more than once in a day.¡±


    Fel nodded in agreement. ¡°Leo, with how you are, it would annoy any woman to ask constantly. For us it would be like asking permission to drink alcohol. You''re an adult so of course you can. Please don''t think about it too much and just let loose, and I know your holding back, because if I was transported to a world of mostly horned up males, then I would want to fuck every good lay that I''d have time for.¡±


    Leo opened his mouth to speak, but couldn''t find the words to defend himself, knowing that Fel would just see past his excuses, so he just threw up his hands in defeat. ¡°You know what? Fine, fuck it. Next time I''ll just bend someone over a table when we''re alone.¡± He paused to let out an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Since that issue has been thoroughly beaten into me, I''d like to talk about my feelings for Fel, because I definitely would like more than just something physical with her. Now that I''ve accepted that we''re so alike, I can''t help but be drawn to her. I wouldn''t openly admit this before, but she''s beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and stubborn in a way that drives me crazy. In a good way.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The woman in question became slightly sheepish, a faint blush arising from her cheeks while she started shifting in her seat and fiddling with her small and delicate looking hands. ¡°Yeah, I feel the same way. Even though I know it''s a bit messed up that I kinda just pulled out what would be the perfect man for myself, I still want to ask to be a part of your relationship, because if I''m going to do this, then I want to do this right.¡±


    Elaria''s head swayed between the two in mild consideration, before she leaned forward in her chair to prop her head up with a fist. ¡°Sure, I don''t mind you joining at all. In fact, you two are so similar that it feels almost redundant for you to ask.¡± She paused to let a sly smile show through. ¡°It''s like I get to be with a female version of Leo too.¡± She finished playfully.


    Fel scoffed, closed her eyes, and tilted her head up in mock condescension. ¡°This isn''t his world, so if anything, he''s a male version of me.¡± She ended with a smile that betrayed her ribbing display.


    Leo thought about retorting, but instead he got up, walked over to Fel, picked her up into another bridal carry, and brought her into a deep and passionate kiss. ¡°And that is what I mean about driving me crazy.¡± He remarked after the loving kiss, and Fel went beet red, but smiled warmly as she snuggled up to him in his arms.


    Elaria seemed to have slumped a bit at the openly affectionate display, which didn''t escape Leo''s notice. Shifting Fel to be perched on one arm, his magic making the effort trivial, he pulled Elaria onto his other arm and gave her the same passion filled kiss. ¡°Just because you''re abstaining from the physical, doesn''t mean I''m leaving you out of the emotional.¡± He told the blushing selarin, who was about to speak, but was cut off by Fel leaning over and passionately kissing her too.


    Leo arched a surprised brow, and a smirk played across his face at the now very flustered woman. ¡°And don''t forget, I''m part of this relationship now too.¡± Fel reminded her after breaking the kiss.


    The pleasant and emotion filled moment was ruined by a single comment from their silent spectator.


    ¡°So if you two are so alike, wouldn''t you be like, fucking your self?¡± Glia questioned curiously, which resulted in the three immediately deadpanning at her.


    ¡­


    After breakfast, Leo and Fel left to check in with Vesta and Sel to see if they could help in any way they could, while Elaria stayed with Glia back at the inn.


    When they arrived at the base, they were met with makeshift triage tents scattered all over the wide street outside, and busy bodies were speeding in and out of the main building.


    Since Leo and Fel revealed themselves to the world already, neither of them cared about wearing disguises or keeping their level of magic hidden anymore. As the both of them flew down to land near the front of the base, everyone within view slowed down or froze for a moment at the sight of them.


    As they walked past a few of the tents, Leo noticed some other races besides selarin that were mixed into the number of injured. Elves, dwarves, a tall four armed amazon, and a group of short large eyed cyclops caught his eye before he entered the building.


    Walking into the war room they headed toward the main table, where Vesta and Sel were giving out orders.


    Leo was going to be as brief as possible in interacting with the two, not wanting to hold them up from their duties. ¡°Vesta, Sel, what''s the extent of the damage, and is there anything you''d need us for?¡±


    Vesta handed a selarin some papers, then turned to address him, and he noticed that she had a few bandages over her shoulder and collarbone, though her arm didn''t seem to be broken, so it was probably some medicinal treatment. ¡°Casualties are at two thousand and still counting, we estimate the number to be somewhere between four and five when we''ve finished combing the town, but we can only hope for less. As for structural damage, Sel?¡± She prompted her to take over, as she turned to address a few other selarins.


    Sel paused what she was doing to lift her head up from the slightly scattered paperwork on the table, before continuing where Vesta left off. ¡°Most of it is aesthetic, aside from the two buildings that were damaged from the dragon fight, as well as the roof on the local guild branch that''s missing for some reason.¡±


    Leo guiltily broke eye contact, which didn''t escape Sel''s notice, as she closed her eyes and let out an exasperated breath. ¡°That''s that mystery solved I guess. Well, as for what you can do. We need healers, messengers, or a strong arm to help with digging a pit for all the bodies. We would start burning, but then we would need to find all that wood to help fuel it, and as you may have noticed, selarins prefer to work with stone.¡±


    Fel stepped forward to address Sel, who reflexively took a step back and prompted Leo to note that she was still more afraid of her even after seeing him literally rip a dragon''s wings off. ¡°I''ll start helping the injured.¡± The dragoness paused to address him. ¡°Allis could probably use my help, but I think you should go assist with the bodies, given how you can alter terrain in an instant.¡±


    The summon gave her a resolved nod. ¡°Alright, I''ll go do that real quick, then come back to help with the injured.¡± He turned to Sel. ¡°Also, could you spare some time to talk later today? I still need to speak with you about a position that I think you''d be good at.¡±


    ¡­


    When the human flew out to the mass grave site, he saw about a hundred people digging and handling the bodies, stacking them up in a long deep hole.


    Something about the whole way the dead were being buried got under his skin, and so he went over how many could be given their own space to lay as he looked out over the field. Seeing that there was just enough space for what he wanted to do, he began casting a spell that would dig out two hundred, six foot deep graves that were spaced out by a foot. He used his magic to pull away the bodies from the previous hole, as well as many from the massive pile, and laid out two hundred of the dead in each grave, then filled them back up.


    He frowned deeply upon seeing the long row of unmarked graves, so he pulled up a fifty foot smooth pillar of stone out of the ground and cut it into two hundred blank tombstones to place over the graves.


    Looking between the two hundred graves and the rest of the two thousand dead that were already found, he felt an indescribable sadness hollow him out as he set to repeat the process twenty five more times.


    Swiftly done, Leo flew down to the crowd below, the mass of people having stopped their work to watch him do in seconds what would take them weeks straight if they wanted to give everyone a proper burial. He needed to tell the one in charge of the effort that he left half of them unfilled for those who were yet unfound, so all they would need to do is place the body and fill the hole.


    The woman started to cry and thank him deeply, as well as many of the other people there, because now all their close friends and family who were killed would get to have a proper grave. Her reaction broke his heart in two separate directions, proud of helping them, but guilt ridden with not having stopped the massacre in the first place.


    He truly didn''t feel like he deserved such thanks.


    The internally conflicted man gazed out onto the field, and felt that something was missing, something that didn''t quite seem to pay proper respects. He realized what it was after staring at the blank tombstones, and set to cast one more spell to pull a hundred foot long, seven foot high, thick and smooth cut stone wall out of the ground.


    He told the woman in charge that since the graves themselves were unmarked, due to either the bodies being mutilated beyond recognition or there being little time to go over every one they found, then people could chisel their names into the wall.


    The woman was so over taken with emotions that she hugged Leo in complete disregard for the magical power he displayed, crying her thanks into his shoulder. He stayed at the gravesite for a few minutes to comfort the woman and oversee the effort, before leaving to help Fel and Allis with the injured.


    A mournful and guilty pain ate at him on his way back, causing him to close his eyes and confront it. ¡®No, this wasn''t your fault. They attacked without even being aware of me or Fel, so that would have been their response anyway¡­ But maybe if I didn''t speed up Yez¡¯s plan¡­ No, don''t do that. I can''t get stuck in the past even if it is my fault, I need to learn from it and do better. I will not let another massacre like this ever happen again.¡¯


    ¡­


    Leo met up with an exhausted looking Allis when he arrived back at the base, the serpentine resting on a bench while drinking some mana filled water, having already healed nearly a hundred people. He noted her somber and mournful visage, a deep sadness showing around her eyes.


    ¡°How are you holding up? I didn''t get the chance to check in with you at the inn.¡± He probed while he took a seat next to her, wanting to take some time to comfort her.


    Allis''s hood drooped while she stared at the cup in her hands. ¡°Not good¡­ I lost someone I was becoming close friends with¡­ Watched her get killed right in front of me, and I just can''t seem to shake the sight out of my mind.¡± She responded a little shakily, and he shifted closer to wrap an arm around her shoulder.


    The selarin leaned further into his comforting hold, tearing up as she began to tell Leo about the herbalist. He silently listened with the occasional encouraging comment, because sometimes that''s just what people needed when experiencing a loss. When she was done, he told her about the monument that he created at the grave site, and that she should place her friend''s name there if no one else does.


    A faint smile crossed her lips, seeming better than before, but still understandably shaken. ¡°Thank you for just listening. you''re a good man.¡± She finished by giving him a peck on the cheek.


    ¡°It was my pleasure to help, and if you need anything else, don''t hesitate to ask. I''ll be glad to listen.¡± He told her before heading off to help Fel with healing as many people as they could.


    About two hundred people needed his aid, mainly those in critical condition or thought to be lost causes. If they were back on earth, many of these people would have been in hours of surgery with no guarantee, but he managed to heal everyone he attended due to his understanding of general physiology being a lot more in depth, and magic being a hell of a drug.


    As a consequence of playing magic medic, he got to learn a few new things from idly chatting with his patients. One thing that stuck was that on the other side of the mountain was a main elven trade route, and that his estate was situated at the base of said mountain. The rough trade route connected to a large river that connected to a whole host of fresh water shipping lanes, and the massive network was the backbone of elven travel and trade.


    Although he could easily punch a building-sized hole through the mountain, it would more than likely escalate things with the dwarves if he went out of his way to accommodate the elves. The smartest thing to do would be to let them both expend the effort to invest in Telnar, as opposed to showing favoritism.


    But he knew that it was only a stalling tactic, and that trying to play neutral Switzerland would eventually fall apart the moment either one decided to take a swing at Telnar. The main problem was sustaining that neutrality for as long as possible, which meant politics, and he hated politics.


    Fortunately he possibly had someone who might fit the bill.


    ¡­


    After a few hours of healing, when it seemed like his assistance was no longer needed, he went to have that talk with Sel.


    The selarin was still going over paperwork next to Vesta, while giving out the occasional order, but the frequency of the busy bodies definitely slowed down from this morning. ¡°Sel, could I speak with you in private for a minute?¡± He asked the somewhat occupied woman, his choice only being reinforced by how she seemed in her element.


    ¡°Even I can guess it''s important, but I''m busy right now, so to save you some time I''m not interested if it doesn''t let me help Telnar directly.¡± She responded tiredly, only sparing him a cursory glance before returning to her work.


    ¡°Is being in charge of Telnar direct enough?¡± He propositioned smugly after casting a sound barrier around the both of them.


    An audible snap of wood sounded as she broke her pencil, while the dull yellow scales on her head creased from her brow arching way up. ¡°Wait, what? Do you mean like an assistant, or advisor?¡± She questioned as the work in front of her was seemingly forgotten.


    ¡°No, I mean in charge of Telnar, as in all of the town, and all of the surrounding territories. I think the position was called lord, but since we''re independent it''s probably closer to royalty now.¡± He answered very casually, and very bluntly.


    ¡°Why?¡± She stared at him in a mixture of shock and disbelief.


    The human cocked his head, taking a moment to think before responding. ¡°Going to assume that it''s a general question you''re asking, so let me try to hit all the points. First reasons pretty simple, managing piles of paperwork and everyone else''s problems is the last fucking thing I''d ever want to do. Secondly is that you have your moral compass on straight, because you seem to genuinely care for this town and its people. And lastly, you are probably the most qualified. You''ve been in charge of the guard here for what I assume to be years if not at least a decade or two, so you know it''s problems and it''s people better than anyone else I could find. All in all, if you say no then I might be shit out of luck on finding anyone more perfect for the role. So what do you say?¡± He finished his explanation to a still somewhat disbelieving woman, leaving out the part on how her willingness to help Elaria had bolstered his opinion of her.


    Sel looked to be deep in thought for a few moments before answering. ¡°Alright, I''ll do it, but I don''t want the position to be seen as luxurious or decadent as nobility, much less royalty. I want to have the job be seen as being a service to the town and its people, I don''t want the next person after me to start abusing their power after I''m gone.¡± She stated with a layer of conviction, which caught him a little off guard, but his face lit up at the declaration.


    ¡°Oh I can help you with that, but only after things start to settle down a bit, then I''ll introduce you to the wonderfully bureaucratic world of democracy.¡± He remarked with a chuckle, but was pulled out of the moment by a tap on his shoulder.


    The summon released his sound barrier as he turned to see Vesta, who wore a confused expression. ¡°I didn''t want to interrupt, but some of my troops found something that you might want to check out.¡±


    ¡­


    A tinge of excitement and curiosity was going through his mind as he flew toward the mystery object''s location. ¡®Hmm, if it''s floating and they use it for transportation, then it could have some complicated float system, it''s not like they know what gravity is. But why is it made out of metal? Maybe it''s just the base, so it could support heavier objects. Wait, why would it be box shaped? That doesn''t sound like a very appealing thing to travel in for a spoiled noble. Eh, I''m all most-¡¯ His thoughts halted when a very strange and very modern looking object came into view.


    The soaring human cocked his head while squinting at the thing, unsure if what he was seeing was actually real or not. ¡°Is¡­ Is that a magic bus?¡± He muttered in utter confusion.


    Landing next to the large and rusted metal bus, he simply stared at it in both fascination and bewilderment. ¡®This¡­isn''t from this era.¡¯ He thought while inspecting the floating curiosity.


    It looked like a large windowless coach bus, being about forty feet in length, twelve in height, and entirely covered in a layer of rust that would make any smith sick at the sight of it. It seemed like it had landing gears, or stubs from what would be the wheels, as there were eight metal spikes that were positioned where there would be. The strangest thing is that it was actually floating, which halted all other observations, as the modern look of the vehicle meant only one thing.


    ¡®This might actually use gravity, and if it uses gravity¡­ Then it must have a mana rune!¡¯ The thought excitedly pushed him past the befuddled soldiers who were standing guard over it.


    The interior was gutted and lavishly decorated with sofas, silken threads, carpets and more. He rolled his eyes at the sight, noting that this was more like what he was expecting. Looking at the driver''s seat, he saw some runes underneath the frame of the steering wheel, causing him to furrow his brow at the rusted metal circle.


    ¡®The hell is this thing made of to survive for- Fuck, probably at least a few hundred thousand years.¡¯ It was amazing that the enchantments even worked with all this rust.


    Feeling out the mana connections led him to the center of the bus, where there seemed to be a decently large interconnected system. He casually flung the carpet out of the way, revealing a rusted hatch, which he eagerly set to prying open with mana enhanced strength.


    It was the equivalent to an engine compartment, and it did not disappoint. A few dozen large runes were neatly scattered about the cabinet-sized space, and he was immensely pleased that all the connections were very organized and easily inferred.


    The burgeoning mage took out his journal and flipped to the back, where he had a list of translated runes, and immediately he saw that one of the larger ones was the gravity rune. Touching the rune, he felt several connections to it, but he ignored any that were only attached to the gravity rune, because both the mana and gravity rune would have connections to the control system up front, which narrowed his prize down to three other runes.


    Placing a hand on each of the other three runes, he felt out the connections between them. Upon seeing them all connected, he thought about how he would simplify a way to use mana on gravity in a rune system.


    ¡°Wave, layer, mana, and push would be the main controls, so¡­¡± He muttered as he created the small runes to swiftly eliminate the last two, and a wide smile appeared on his face as he found his prize.


    The elated man thoughtlessly removed all the connections from it and then cut out the plate it was on. ¡°At least those sick fucks left something of value behind. There is a lot I could do with-¡±


    The bus around him started to shake violently.


    ¡°Uh oh.¡± His eyes went wide and his gut sank, realizing that he did a very stupid thing.


    The spooked human bolted out of the bus, pulling the two gaurds with him as he flew a few hundred meters away from his newest major fuck up. He stopped to put up a large mana shield around them all, and hoped that the people of whatever era the bus came from created some kind of failsafe against a complete idiot pulling out the main stabilizer. The bus continued to shake more violently, but then stopped and gave off a happy little chime before it flung itself into the sky, completely blinking out of sight within seconds.


    Issue out of sight and out of mind, he directed his attention to the rune in his hand and narrowed his eyes at it. ¡°Right, nothing to stabilize the gravity rune, so it flew up just like my pipe¡­ Whelp, at least I got the impo-¡± A loud explosion could be heard from up above, a massive wave of force separating some of the clouds.


    The startled human looked at the rune in his hand, then up at the parted clouds, then back to the rune, then at the soldiers who were staring at him with their mouths agape. ¡°Carry on...¡± He said with a poorly practiced salute, right before rocketing off back to the town.


    ¡­


    Shelving the bus incident for a later date, Leo went back to helping out around Telnar. After a few hours of assisting those he could, he returned to the inn to turn in for the day, as well as getting some dinner. Upon walking into the inn, he saw everyone gathered around a table, chatting amongst themselves while some were enjoying a meal.


    A slightly content smile crossed over his face as he walked toward the group, recalling everything he went through since being brought to this new world. Nearly dying in the woods, meeting Elaria, learning magic, becoming insanely rich, helping out the inn, fighting Fel, becoming leader of a rebellion, the rage at the massacre, stepping out into the open, and all the new friends and loved ones that were made along the way. He went through one hell of a short journey, one that was definitely still not over. And it wasn''t all bad either, some of them were enjoyable experiences.


    Lower half entered the chat :


    Lower half : ¡®Especially the sex!¡¯


    Lower half left the chat :


    Leo chuckled as he took a seat between Elaria and Fel, as the first question he asked when arriving at this fantasy world finally got its answer.


    ¡®You know, I think I am where I''m supposed to be, despite all my small exploits¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 46 - Start of Arc 2 (Selaria)

    _________________________________________


    Time skip : Seven Months :


    It has been over half a year since the massacre in Telnar, and much had happened in that time, especially in regards to Selaria.


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was sitting in his new favorite chair, one of those large soft cushiony types, while he attempted to read his book in the living room of his newly constructed manor home.


    The construction would have normally taken over a year to complete only the main home, but once the guild found out who Leo was, they started pushing for the whole estate to be done within that time. So his main home was done in just four months, as they sent hundreds of people to help in the construction, though they halted as winter began to approach, and would start up again after it passed, but before leaving they managed to complete the guard and servants quarters.


    He agreed to let the branch stay open in Telnar, but made it clear that slavery was outlawed, and that any slaves that stepped into their territory would be freed on the spot. Instead of the guild being angry or trying to renegotiate, they gave him the mountain next to his estate, which was originally split by the Elven border, just for letting them operate in Telnar. Even though he really wanted to kick them out of Telnar, he decided that he needed to pick his battles, and right now they were a major asset in helping with two of them, Selaria and the dragons.


    Leo was deep in thought as he flipped through his journal. ¡®I want to make an airship, but like hell if I''m using gravity, not after seeing that bus implode... Or explode¡­ Kinda hard to tell when it went off in high atmosphere. So I''ll just have to use a float system... Damn that''s going to be a-¡¯ His mind was brought back to the present, as a loud and irritated cough sounded from the chair across from him.


    An exhausted breath left his lips as he looked up from his much more interesting task. ¡°Oh, you''re still here? I thought you would have taken the hint.¡± He remarked with a bit of his own irritation.


    The old selarin high noble woman across from him huffed in indignation, her excessively flourished garments waving around with the gesture. ¡°Is this how you address an ambassador of noble blood? It is no wonder this meager territory attracts so many of low birth. How you managed to partner with a dragon is beyond me.¡± The noble finished with a tone that insinuated one of insult, but the human simply stared impassively at her.


    Leo closed his book, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. ¡°Sixteenth.¡± He sighed out with zero emotion, running a hand up to comb back his grown out dark brown hair.


    While the noble was confused by the remark, the faint traces of a sneer were still present on her face. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She questioned in a, quite frankly, over the top condescending tone.


    The irked summon leaned back in his chair, completely done with constantly explaining that it wasn''t Fel who was responsible for repelling the inquisitors, or destroying the academy. Apparently his message was subjected to telephone, as people thought that since a dragon was there, then she must have done it all. So every selarin noble who came to visit Fel''s estate, assumed everything was her doing and treated her like royalty, while either treating him like her squeeze, receptionist, or both.


    Once more he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, as his patience for the woman in front of him ended the moment she opened her mouth. ¡®I can''t fathom why I''m even trying to correct these fucks¡­ In fact, the only reason Fel''s not doing it, is because I walked in on her breaking the arm of person zero. And knowing how alike we are, I can only imagine that it was because she was sick of them constantly insulting me. It was fun at first to make them piss themselves by rocketing them a few miles up in the air, but now it''s just annoying to hear them speak words¡­ God I think I''m actually losing brain cells...¡¯ He finished his mental rant, while all the effort to even waste an explanation had left him.


    The human stared at the noble with a pure no fucks given expression, as he could not find the will, or the fucks, to give any more. ¡°You are the sixteenth person to essentially say, to my face, that I am a powerless bitch. And frankly, it''s no longer funny to prove you stuck up ass-hats wrong. So here''s the deal, since you already know my demands, or else you wouldn''t be here, you are going to get up, get the fuck off my property, and tell the next person who will inevitably come here, to go fuck themselves.¡±


    The noble woman scowled at him and stood up in a rage as she held a hand behind her back.


    ¡®Christ, I think you could give Yez a run for her money with how subtle you''re being¡­ I wonder what she''s up to?¡¯ He thought with a slight amusement, and double checked that his ultra thin carbon tubed structured mana shield was still up, as after the first assassination attempt he chose to keep it up at all times.


    ¡°You are nothing but low born filth, how dare you command your bet-¡± The noble''s words were cut short, when her hidden blade was cut short, breaking clean off its hilt after hitting his invisible skin tight shield.


    Somehow, and for some reason, the nobility of selaria got it in their thick heads that if they killed him, then it would both fix their guild and dragon problem. Which was mind-numbingly stupid for a number of reasons¡­


    He smiled mirthlessly at the wide eyed woman. ¡°And congratulations, because of the sixteen people to insult me directly, you are the fourth to try and kill me. So you get a prize!¡± He stood to applaud the very dumb selarin while the large viewing window swung open, and she was sent flying all the way to the remains of the academy.


    An audible sigh could be heard from the doorway, and Leo turned to see Elaria in a loose dressing gown with her arms crossed. ¡°You know they''re just going to keep sending them until they either convince or kill you.¡± She remarked as she walked over to him, her hips swaying a little exaggeratedly as she did so.


    The frustrated man pinched the bridge of his nose, dreading yet another ambassador coming to negotiate. ¡°Well if they keep sending people like that, then they are nowhere near desperate enough to send someone competent.¡± He finished with a simmering irritation, his mind torn between relieving some stress with Elaria, or thinking about the continued cause of said irritating stress.


    Not soon after his debut in Selaria, the merchants guild had pulled entirely out of the shocked kingdom, closing all of its branches and liquidating all of the assets it held there. What''s more, the Dwarven and Elven kingdoms also condemned the massacre and decreased trade with them, saying that it was in response to killing the merchants from their kingdoms. And as soon as the two giants took such a stance, every other allied kingdom followed suit, essentially isolating Selaria.


    Even though they all openly condemned Selaria''s actions at Telnar, Leo knew that it was all just political maneuvering, and would take full advantage of the neutrality he gained between the two giants, as well as fleecing the guild as much as possible. With the market for enchanted items being way over priced, he was able to make deals worth thousands in gold, quickly making Telnar an economic powerhouse for trade.


    As Selaria fell into economic collapse, thousands migrated from their lands to seek work elsewhere, work that was readily available in Telnar. Which worked out really well since he was pouring money from his dealings with the guild into the town, which was spiraling it into the beginnings of an insane economic boom.


    When Elaria reached Leo, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against his front, her cool scaled body swaying them both slightly as they embraced. They shared a quick kiss before resting their foreheads against each other, still rocking one another back and forth in calming motions. ¡°Well don''t stress about it too much. I don''t like to see you get so worked up by a few dried up sleeves.¡±


    He smiled as he enjoyed her presence.


    Over the last couple of months, Elaria had not just found her footing when it came to her feelings, but had tuned in more to the feelings of others, with Fel having a small hand in her progress. And slowly, Leo''s own emotions had deepened for her, as all of his support was met with an even more eager and attentive partner. Especially during his night time episodes, as it took nearly two months for his nightmares from the massacre to stop, something that logically he could get past, but emotionally was deeply injured by.


    Though he had to admit that physically he was somewhat frustrated with her restraint for months, as she was still only edging them both on as she grew accustomed to her emotions, never going as far as actually having sex. But still, having little moments like this was more than enough for him, if it was enough for her, as he fell genuinely for her as she learned how to support another person emotionally. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    She pulled away slightly, and looked into his eyes while placing a hand on his cheek, and her large pools of light amber calmed him as he became lost within them. They both stood like that as each other''s breathing started to quicken from the physical and emotional desire to give themselves to one another. He expected her to either pull away before they both tripped the boundary, or they would relieve each other without the full experience, but he was surprised to see her let slip her gown and start pulling him toward their room. And she wore a lustful desire that told him that she was finally ready to give in, and fully experience each other''s feelings for one another physically, now that she felt ready emotionally.


    Leo was both proud of her for coming so far, as well as more aroused than at any other point that he felt with her, but it wasn''t that of just wanting sex. He wanted them to give each other to one another on a much deeper level, and they were finally going to-


    ¡°Lord Le- I mean Leo!¡± The voice yelling frantically for him down the hall felt like glass being shattered, as his deeply intimate moment with Elaria was all but ripped from him, and she seemed to be of the same mind.


    Not moments later and the offending intruder showed themselves, one of his hired guards, and she had a look of abject terror plastered across her face. ¡°Leo, there ar-¡±


    Leo raised a hand in a halting motion, pulled Elaria close, and ran his other hand in a calming action across her side as they both glowered at the woman. ¡°Look, who ever you are, if you deal with whatever the problem is yourself, I''ll fuck your brains out later. I''m in the middle of something way more imp-¡±


    ¡°Over fifty dragons are hovering above the estate!¡± She yelled, her words submerged in an abyss of fear.


    The agitated human could not suppress an eye twitch at the one thing that he had been expecting to show up since he revealed himself, just now choosing to confront him. He felt Elaria pull away from him and sigh, while she tightened the belt on her gown.


    ¡°Not happening today, isn''t it¡­?¡± The question held a level of dejection that he could not begin to describe, and Elaria shook her head with an apologetic look as she began to take her leave.


    He scowled at the ground, before he stomped outside to relieve his stress in a more violent way. When he walked out onto the porch he was met with the cold chill of the winter air, and the sight of a few large carriages parked outside his home, most likely from the noble he sent on a short trip to see his work.


    An impressed whistle sounded from his right, and he turned to see a heavily dressed Glia leaning over the railing, her arms folded as she thoughtlessly tapped the tip of her wooden foot on the floor. ¡°Go get''em champ.¡± She remarked with a smile, but he could see the slight uncertainty in her blue eyes as she looked back out across the estate.


    Tracing her gaze, he saw a cluster of dragons flying above the center of the estate, as well as a very crossed looking Fel on the ground below.


    Leo casted a frictionless spell on his feet to skate over to Fel, which was his new preferred method of travel while on his flat estate grounds.


    His summoner turned to regard him with a near equivalent look of irritation. ¡°Oh look who finally showed up, was the noble bitch really that entertaining?¡± She sarcastically remarked.


    Leo stepped into kiss Fel deeply, the affection more for releasing each other''s pent up emotions in regard to the situation. ¡°No, she''s probably shivering in front of Rak''s statue by now, but there should be a few mages around to pick her up. Also, I''m going to make you bed ridden for the rest of today, after I deal with¡­ This¡­¡± He finished with a frown, while his eyes pierced daggers into the crowd in the sky.


    Fel''s eyes widened with a smile, but then frowned when she considered how angry he was. ¡°Did Elaria finally? ...¡± She trailed off worriedly, and with a simple nod from Leo, she winced and looked at the dragons above with genuine pity.


    Justly upset at the reminder, he stepped forward with his arms held wide to address the three dragons flying closer to the ground. ¡°So where the hell have you been? Because I was expecting you chuckle fucks to confront me for months!¡± He berated the crowd loudly, but their focus seemed to be fixed entirely on Fel.


    ¡°Hello!? Here be human!?¡± They continued to ignore him, causing him to spin around to Fel with a look of disbelief. ¡°Are you serious right now!?¡± He realized that maybe the selarin nobility weren''t the only ones who were miss informed.


    Fel sighed exhaustedly, and looked at the center dragon. ¡°Could you repeat yourself for my paper dragon, he''s a bit sensitive about not getting enough attention.¡± She finished with a smug expression.


    With a loud facepalm, his hand ran down it in frustration. ¡°You know what? You just earned yourself an entire week of being fucked into a puddle, so don''t complain when you''re mostly stuck in bed for the next few days!¡± He declared loudly, while Fel snickered as she looked up at the crowd.


    He frowned and traced her gaze back to the intruders to see that all the women were staring at him with lust and intrigue, while some of the men were glowering in disgust.


    ¡®I''m so done with today¡­¡¯


    The apparent leader of the group held the same look as the rest of the women for a few moments, but her stern visage rebuilt itself. ¡°Fel''aristriza Quitial''tis, the council requests your presence. You may decline, but we are confiscating your summon, and will be establishing an academy within your territory. Resist in any way, and you will be executed as a traitor to the council.¡± The dragon declared with a disciplined tone.


    ¡®Confiscate¡­ Yeah, I can see why she''s a little peeved. Oh, and given their attitude toward me, all these dragons are for her, since they probably think that I gave Fel knowledge to do what I actually did¡­ I fucking hate rumors¡­¡¯


    Fel picked at the tip of her horn, while her expression was that of complete disinterest. ¡°Well I obviously decline, and as for the other two things¡­¡± She paused to turn on her heel, then started to walk a safe distance away from them. ¡°You''re up Leo, you wanna make a proper statement, here''s your chance.¡± She remarked while giving him a thumbs up after taking a seat on the ground.


    ¡°God, I''m such an ass¡­¡± He jabbed indirectly with a stony expression.


    Fel grinned as she leaned back on her hands. ¡°Yeah, I know I am.¡± She jabbed back playfully, earning an unsuccessfully suppressed smirk from him.


    Leo shook his head and sighed before turning his attention to the floating irritations. ¡°Alright there seems to be a missun-¡± he was cut short by the leader.


    ¡°This went smoother than I thought. Take him.¡± The leader ordered her subordinate, as she tilted her head toward Leo with mild uninterest.


    As the said dragon flew down and casually walked up to him, Leo let out a not entirely disappointed sigh. ¡®So much for talking softly.¡¯ He thought with pursed lips, as he held a hand out toward the manor, and right before the dragon grabbed him, his staff flew out from the building into his hand.


    The dragon''s face wore one of confusion for only a split second before Leo swung his staff like a golf club into the trespasser, sending the poor man rocketing through a gap in between all the flying dragons and arcing back down somewhere out of sight.


    All the dragons slowly turned back to Leo from the direction of where the man was sent, their expressions varying levels of shock.


    Entirely too satisfied with himself, Leo stood proudly with a hand on his hip and the staff over his shoulder, all while wearing the biggest shit eating grin. ¡°Attention dip-shits, just to be crystal clear, Fel is not the one in charge, and a large part of me is really envious of that.¡±


    A loud cheer sounded from behind, and he rolled his eyes before continuing. ¡°So, sorry to disappoint you, but all of you will be leaving empty handed today. And if any of you dare mess with Telnar, I will not hesitate to give Rak a friend.¡±


    The leader scowled at him, her face that of a sneering disgust. ¡°Scenario four!¡± She yelled, and all the dragons spread out loosely in the air, and it only took moments to recognize what they were all doing, as each one was sucking in a familiarly long breath.


    ¡°Oh no you don''t, I just got settled in here.¡± He remarked as he used gravity to slam all of them to the ground, creating small craters in the compact dirt.


    The powerful arch-mage lined all of the dragons up in front of him, after heartlessly dragging them through the dirt along the way. He walked up to the leader, who, like everyone else, was completely immobilized, their arms to their sides as they were as straight as a plank with their wings folded in.


    The human frowned at the dragon, but then a slightly amused expression crossed his face. ¡°So, you attempted to kill me. Do you have an-¡± His call back was interrupted by Fel yelling a critical ¡°really?¡± from behind. ¡°Fine!¡± He yelled back as he pulled a tree out from the forest for his hopefully enlightening demonstration.


    Flying up over his audience next to the floating tree, he looked over the wide-eyed formation. ¡°Okay, now that I have your undivided attention, let me explain to you all about how the rumors of my abilities have been greatly under exaggerated.¡± He paused to let out a chuckle.


    ¡°Now I seem to have made two mistakes. The first one was relying on nobles and brainwashed college students to reliably pass on information, and the second was not going to the council myself and snapping away their building, like this.¡± The tree bled away into nothing with a snap of his fingers, and all of his audience just sunk further into visible shock and fear.


    Leo floated down closer to the small crowd, directing his attention to the leader, but speaking loudly for everyone to hear. ¡°So before I let you all go, I want to make it clear that though I may not be a god, my abilities are on the level of one. And in light of that clarification backed by my demonstration, I''d like you to deliver a simple message to the council.¡± He smiled broadly while releasing his spell, and opening his arms wide.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 47

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    As Leo watched the group of cowed trespassers fly off into the distance, he couldn''t help but chuckle, as hopefully the corroboration of more than fifty dragons could properly deliver a message.


    Fel sauntered exaggeratedly up to him with an expression of smug satisfaction, while her tail traced its tip along the ground purposefully. ¡°So, now that you''ve successfully repelled the council''s strike force with their tails between their legs, I think you''ve promised something to put between mine.¡± She said while biting her lip and tracing a finger across his chest.


    ¡°How long were you holding on to that one¡­¡± He questioned with a judgmental tone, deadpanning at the obviously practiced and forced act.


    She immediately dropped the act and threw her hands up in frustration. ¡°Four months and you just fucking ruin it! Can''t you just go with it for once?¡± She scolded the very blunt man.


    Leo crossed his arms and scoffed, letting his staff aimlessly float in the air next to him. ¡°You mean like how you did with my saddle bit? Because if I recall, you burst out laughing the moment I was done.¡± He finished while giving her a critical look.


    The dragoness couldn''t suppress a snicker at the memory. ¡°Okay, to be fair, it was pretty funny.¡± She remarked defensively.


    The comment drew out an over exaggerated offence from him. ¡°Funny? To who, the saddle? It was meant to be a-¡± He lost all the will to argue at her unrestrained laughter. ¡°You know what? Puddle time.¡± He finished while lifting Fel up into his arms, and the giggling dragon snuggled into his hold as they skated back to his home, his staff following close by.


    Before the two even got to the porch, they were stopped by one of the noble''s entourage, resulting in the human groaning irritably. ¡°Lord Leo, I am a messenger for her highness, Anasslia Cobri the Eleventh. Her majesty requests your audience at Selaria''s capital to discuss the demands you have put forward.¡±


    The annoyed man furrowed his brow as his passenger huffed impatiently in his arms. ¡°I thought that the queen had no real authority? How would she ever enforce the dissolution of the nobility?¡± He questioned with a little confusion, remembering that the monarchy in Selaria were supposed to be figureheads.


    ¡°I regret to inform you that I am a simple messenger, but if I had to guess, due to the total trade collapse, we are going to be experiencing our worst winter yet. The worst estimate is that a tenth of our population dies, and seeing as how the nobility has thus far failed to persuade you, I believe her grace wishes to take matters into her own hands before the worst does come to pass.¡±


    The scope of oncoming death elicited grimace from him. ¡®A tenth, seriously? I really don''t have much of a choice then... Hopefully the queen is someone competent, or this might just be another attempt to kill me...¡¯ Either way it was a good opportunity to move things along, rather than have them send another overly ambitious idiot and have tens of thousands needlessly die.


    Fel sighed, leapt out of his arms, and twirled around to face him. ¡°I think we both know what you have to do. So we''ll have to hold off on our engagement¡­¡± She said with a tinge of disappointment that he felt in equal measure.


    Suddenly both mentally and physically frustrated, he let out a long and resigned breath before snatching his staff out of the air. ¡°Yeah I know. It''s best to deal with this first, too many lives, and the nobles obviously don''t give a damn.¡± He paused to pinch the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°I thought that they would send at least one noble who would see past their own title, but I was wrong. Surprise surprise, the majority rules when trying to keep power, so they won''t send anyone like that until their own small territories start revolting en masse, and by then I''d be surprised if half the kingdom is still alive to see the end of it¡­ Damn...¡±


    A somber expression crossed over his partner''s features before she perked back up. ¡°Well, seeing as how you''re leaving Telnar, I think it''s best that I stay to watch over the town, and you can even launch your first deployment of the sentries in case those dragons come back. Doesn''t matter if it''s over a thousand, that weapon you made can even let a peasant kill one, and we''ve had a few weeks to train a portion of the guard to use it.¡±


    He gave her a simple nod, as not much more needed to be said between the like minded individuals, before turning his attention to the heavily dressed messenger. ¡°Alright, I''ll accompany you back to the capital tomorrow, I need to prep some things today before I leave. You all can sleep in the servants quarters, not even half the rooms are occupied, so just pick one for the night.¡±


    ¡­


    Leo was flying over to the town that was beginning to grow into a prosperous trade city, after telling Fel to fill in Elaria and everyone else about his hopefully little trip.


    ¡®I''ll ask Elaria if she wants to come along when I get back, but she probably wouldn''t want to leave me alone for that long anyway. I think my first stop should be the base to fill in Sel and Vesta, then I will see if Allis can come along, since she would know how to properly deal with the people there. Hopefully she''ll be the scalpel to my very blunt stick.¡¯ Sel, the selarin leader of Telnar, had not been too subtle with how impulsive he was in that regard. Which was fair¡­


    ¡®After that is the hotel. I need to ask Kesl for rations. It would be dumb of me to trust anything to eat over there, because I don''t feel like dying from poison. Oh right, I also need to inform the guild, so we can start supplying aid to Selaria''s people when a deal is made. Hopefully it''s an uneventful trip.¡¯


    A frown crept across his face as he started to approach the city.


    ¡°Why do I feel like I just tripped another event flag¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Sel


    Paperwork. Paperwork. And more paperwork!


    Sel had been in a near continuous paper sea of trade deals, law enactments, zoning approvals, supply requisitions, resource management, ambassadorial requests, general information updates, and even hordes of marriage requests, many from high status women asking her to join their family.


    Now though?


    A prideful smile crossed the dull yellow scaled selarin''s face, as for the first time in weeks, she had finally managed to clear her desk of the offending stacks of what Leo called bureaucracy. That smile soon faded as another stack was brought into her office, and she slumped back into her chair in total defeat while staring at the small tower in front of her.


    ¡°Gods, fine, I should take Leo''s advice and delegate specific work to a¡­ Now what did he call it again?¡± She thought aloud in complete resignation, as a chuckle sounded from the doorway.


    The man in question walked in at an irritatingly perfect time. ¡°It''s called a cabinet, and yes you definitely need one. Actually I''m shocked that you''ve managed to go this long without one.¡± He remarked while leaning against his floating staff.


    Utterly defeated, she sighed and rubbed a hand across the scales on her head. ¡°Alright I admit it, you were right. I wanted to carry the burden, but this is way too much work for a single person. I think my scales are even starting to flake from the stress.¡± She paused to glance over at Leo, who looked a little sympathetic.


    ¡°But I get the feeling that this isn''t simply a friendly visit with you being two days early for your usual check in.¡± She sighed. ¡°Guess that means I''m not going to be relieving some stress either.¡± She finished by casually gesturing for him to speak.


    Leo let out an exhausted breath and leaned off his staff. ¡°Yeah, I''m taking a trip to Selaria''s capital. Got an invite from the queen and I figured that it''s about time to get off my ass to finally deal with them, before too many innocent people start dying from their thick headed rulers.¡± He remarked a little bitterly.


    Sel huffed in amusement, the idea of him dealing with those entitled nobles bringing a smile to her face, which morphed into a frown when she remembered the reason she had been side lining all of them to Leo to begin with. ¡°I was wondering if you were just going to hold up in your estate forever. You did say that you would help with dealing with other kingdoms, and assist me in hammering out a proper government.¡± She ended with an irritated glare directed at him, because a non-monarchical system was his idea, one that she agreed with.


    The human crossed his arms. ¡°Hey, it''s only been a few months, and if I recall, you keep shooting down my ideas for the election system.¡± He said defensively.


    She let out a groan and leaned back in her chair. ¡°That''s because these campaign''s would belittle and trivialize serious issues, turning the whole process into a spectacle. Don''t get me wrong, I still want the people to have a hand in choosing, but not like that.¡±


    The man opened his mouth, probably to argue a point, but after a pause he clacked his jaw with a wince. ¡°You¡­ May have a point¡­ Anyway, I want you to deploy the sentries while I''m gone. I''m hoping that I will only be for a few days, but it''s better to be on the safe side, especially after I sent over fifty dragons packing.¡± He explained casually.


    Sel closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Right, I''ll fill out the order aft-¡± She cut that sentence short and shot up from her desk in shock. ¡°Wait, what do you mean fifty dragons!?¡±


    A crooked smile accompanied his smug expression. ¡°Well, I had to kick a dragon strike force off my lawn before coming here, but Fel will fill you in on the details, because I need to get a few other things done today. And don''t worry too much about it, since we have more than enough firepower to deal with even larger problems.¡± He paused to turn on his heel and leave. ¡°I''m heading out tomorrow morning. I''ll let you get back to work. Bye!¡± He finished as quickly as he left.


    The office was silent as Sel was still stuck on processing what he said.


    ¡°Over fifty!?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Vesta


    If someone told Vesta five years ago that she would be the general of an army that serves a small independent territory that seceded from Selaria, she would have put down the fifth mug of ale she was on and called them drunk.


    Yet, at this very moment, she was both ecstatic and upset, because she had been wanting to use her new found position to start liberating town''s all across Selaria. But that feeling was more emotional than smart, as there would be way too big a mess to deal with afterwards.


    Therefore she would be resigned to having her troops continue to protect the nearby villages, patrol the border, and assist in the town''s expansion by constructing more infrastructure. That last one was Leo''s idea, as it would keep her soldiers busy, give them the labor to keep in shape, make them invested in their new home, and let them earn a little more coin from the guild. Which was a great idea, as her previous army of a couple hundred grew into thousands of fresh faces, all looking for work from Selaria''s mass exodus.


    She had to admit that the little thorn was growing on her, and if she was a little younger she might have tried to take a shot at him. But those days were well behind her as she had more important things to dwell on. Or that is what she would say if she wasn''t stuck in her office with nothing to do, as everyone already had their orders, and things were usually solved before they reached too far up the chain of command.


    The large selarin let out a sigh as the boredom weighed on her mind. ¡°Maybe I should check up on the patrols, or the construction efforts on the fortress, might want to make sure that they are following that strange star shape design¡­ Very practical for range though.¡± She thoughtfully mused as there was a knock at the door, and she called for them to enter.


    Leo walked in with his staff, something that Vesta noticed he did whenever he was going around working, probably for show considering how he literally ripped Rak a new one without it. ¡°What''s the problem now, little thorn?¡± She ended with a smirk.


    An equally playful expression crossed his face. ¡°Well, yes and no, major.¡± He finished smugly.


    The old soldier frowned at the title, but was unable to deny it, because with how many were under her command, he was technically right. ¡°Alright let''s hear it. What strange new thing are you bringing into our world?¡± She questioned with an exhausted breath, as her army had been divided up into many civilian jobs. Not a great position if they were to be attacked, but it was more than needed to speed the small city''s development.


    Leo shook his head. ¡°None today, came by to tell you that I''m heading to Selaria''s capital. Someone worth a damn is willing to talk, so I''m off to try and work out a deal so people don''t starve, and I can start dealing with other kingdoms without having that issue in my backyard.¡±


    Vesta winced and gave him a pitiful look, knowing how those kinds of negotiations could go. He could either be gone for just a few days or a few weeks, dealing with certain types. ¡°I do not envy you¡­ I''ll raise the number of patrols then, I assume you have that communication orb from the guild, so if something happens we''ll have time to call for you to get here. Has Fel taught you teleportation magic yet?¡±


    Leo let out a nervous chuckle while looking away shyly, reminding her of Fel when the dragon had neglected certain tasks by Yez when they first met. ¡°Well¡­ We may have been a little busy with¡­other activities¡­¡± He answered sheepishly, while the end of his staff seemed suddenly more interesting to him.


    Vesta let out a disapproving groan, seeing that the demeanor also matched the reason. ¡°You''ve had months t-¡± She stopped herself from scolding him and sighed, as it would be a waste of effort. ¡°Never mind, thanks for the heads up. I won''t keep you since I assume you have a few other things to get done before you go. Just check in when you''re back.¡± She finished with a dismissive wave of the hand and he gave her a mock salute before leaving.


    ¡®Even after seeing it, I still can''t believe he''s as powerful as a god¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Kesl


    Kesl missed the slow and quiet mornings at his inn, but he would be a liar if he didn''t say he felt like he was on top of the world with how successful he was, and it was all thanks to Leo.


    His little friend bought out the adjacent buildings, expanded them, and helped connect them to the inn, giving him the space to house and serve a few hundred patrons. The connections also massively expanded the first floor, so he could serve just as many in the now go-to restaurant of the small city. But such a massive increase in capacity meant he needed more hands and more kitchen equipment, which Leo was again more than happy to provide, along with even more delicious recipes.


    This time Kesl demanded that Leo take a cut of the inn''s profits, as he wouldn''t accept that much generosity without paying it back somehow. But even though Leo relented, he told him to just give the cut to the town coffers, which would eventually make its way back to him as the town grew into a proper city.


    Currently, Kesl was manning the bar of the new and exclusively alcoholic section of his hotel, as Leo called it, and was serving a variety of beer, ale, wine, cider and mead. ¡®It may be a little more crowded, but at least I''m doing what I love.¡¯ He mused to himself as a familiar face took up a seat at the bar.


    The partially cloaked figure used his magic to pull a glass from off the shelf, and then used more magic to fill it with water and ice. ¡°Nothing beats a refreshing glass of haych-to-oh.¡± He remarked with a smirk before taking a sip of the cooled drink.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Kesl barked a laugh as he crossed his arms, his muscles flexing naturally at the action. ¡°I can take a guess about what you''re referring to, but since you don''t like the harder stuff, you should at least try some of the wine I''ve recently stocked.¡± He offered the unusually abstinent summon.


    A resigned sigh escaped the younger man as he set down the glass. ¡°Maybe next time. I have¡­duties that I need to attend to, and being inebriated would only inhibit my sharp focus.¡± He finished with a high and mighty act, but a crooked smile broke through the small performance.


    A slightly judgmental expression crossed over Kesl''s face as he looked down at his close friend. ¡°Oh? Do those duties involve fucking multiple women into comas?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Leo let out an awkward cough. ¡°Not this time at least¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°Anyway, I''m here to ask for provisions. I''m going to Selaria''s capital to negotiate with the queen, and I don''t trust that whatever I ate wouldn''t be poisoned. I''ll need something that''s long lasting, so probably some dried foods. Don''t know how long I will be gone, so pack me something that will last me at least two weeks.¡±


    The large selarin grimaced at some unpleasant memories surfacing, of scraping by in the less wealthy part of Selaria''s capital. ¡°The queen huh? Good luck with that, but I hope for your sake that your time there doesn''t last long, because the capital has a lot more to be worried about than the high-class nobles and royalty. The slums are a lot larger than most would want to admit, and those whose hands control that city call it home. Work out a deal quickly if you don''t want to be caught up in something else.¡± Kesl warned with genuine concern, his little friend arching a brow at the cautioning information.


    ¡°Okay. Duly noted. Moving on to a less ominous subject, how are you doing here by the way? Seems like things are still going smoothly.¡± He inquired earnestly.


    Kesl snorted, as such a small description didn''t come close to properly illustrating the immense success of his hotel. ¡°Ship is filled with merry men and piles of gold, but you might want to check in with Tissa at some point. She has been going through those men faster than she could care to admit, I''m pretty sure you ruined the poor girl.¡± He intoned with pity for the young woman.


    The human frowned deeply and scratched the stubble on his face. ¡°Remind me when I get back to give her a magic wand, and before you ask, no it''s not an actual magic wand.¡± He finished with a snicker.


    The titan of a man joined him with a deep bellied laugh. ¡°Oh I''ve heard the rumors about those and your fapkins.¡± He gestured for one of his employees to start packing Leo''s provisions. ¡°We''re a little busy at the moment and I don''t want you to leave with something hastily put together. I want to go over it myself, so stop by in the morning and pick it up before you go.¡± He finished with a prideful overtone, before they said their farewells for the day.


    Kesl''s expression became a little grim as he watched Leo exit the inn.


    ¡®If you thought the massacre was bad, then I pray to the gods that you stay out of the slums...¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Sciesch


    Sciesch was handing over more schematics for the city in the merchants guilds lobby. The design styles were mixed, as many of her people were making the move to Telnar, and a few selarin''s wanted the exterior design of a tiefling because of Leo''s preference. She also became accustomed to selarin architecture, which gave her a near constant amount of work as she had been creating sketch after sketch to sell to the city as it continued to rapidly expand.


    As she noticed her kind start to pop up in the town with a little more frequency, she could only assume that they were either spies or fanatics that were looking to see Leo. The Archive was still, and probably always will be, an object of desire for her people. And with the arrival of an actual human summon, it''s no wonder that many of her people are starting to make the move here.


    An amused smile crossed her face. ¡®Even though Leo matches the level of power they preach, he actively hates the fact that people see him as an actual god. I still can''t get over seeing a few of them groveling at his feet, and the agitated and embarrassed look on his face when he tried to explain the truth to them, only for them to start worshiping even harder.¡¯ She thought with a slight giggle, before noticing a familiarly cloaked figure entering the guild.


    Having grown particularly close to the human in more than one way, a mischievous smile drew across her face as she snuck up on him in a vacant hall to spook the situationally unaware man.


    He jumped three feet into the air, and she couldn''t help but laugh at his reaction. ¡°Damn it! Stop doing that!¡± He demanded of the giggling misfit.


    The tiefling held down her amusement long enough to retort. ¡°Hey, you''re the one sneaking around like you''re still hiding from the dragons.¡± She snickered, while the top of her tail curled in self satisfaction.


    The other-worlder pinched the bridge of his nose, and groaned irritably. ¡°Seriously, do all tieflings get like this after they''ve fucked someone?¡± He questioned disbelievingly.


    Sciesch leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek. ¡°Doesn''t have to be from sex, we tieflings just let our hair down with those we''ve become accustomed with. Though due to our true personalities being very far from our more professional front, we rarely seek relationships with other races. We act dignified and respectful to those we''ve just met, or have a passing acquaintance, but when we pull a one-eighty we get left high and dry.¡±


    Leo gave her a critical once over before he smirked and ruffled a hand through her hair. ¡°I''m okay with anything else but the jump scares, and I''d like to point out that it''s not the smartest idea to do that to someone who could kill said dragons with little effort. I did just send fifty of them packing earlier today.¡± He told her as she finally swatted his hand away.


    Fixing her messy hair, Sciesch gave him a devilish grin. ¡°Oh I can think of plenty of other things to do, but most of them involve the bedroom and my tail¡­¡± She said in a sultry tone while taking a step forward.


    Taking a step back, Leo looked at her with apprehension. ¡°I told you before, that back door is a one way street.¡± He remarked while eyeing her tail distrustfully, and Sciesch let out an impish giggle as she swayed it playfully.


    Visibly shaking the uncomfortable thought from his mind, he seemed to recall why he was at the guild in the first place. ¡°Right, well I''m here to check in before I leave for Selaria''s capital to negotiate, so you''re going to have to wait until I get back for any more fun.¡± He told the feisty woman, who bit her lip and darted their head to either side of the hall.


    Sciesch stepped forward to wrap her arms around Leo, and kissed him deeply before leaning into his ear. ¡°Well then you''re going to have to take me back to your place for the night, because I want a little taste before you go.¡± She finished with a bite of his ear, and as the corner of her lip sharpened he seemed to realize her attempt to snake something down the back of his pants.


    Leo quickly grabbed the unwelcome intruder, eliciting a sound between a moan and a squeak from the impish woman. ¡°Exit. Only. And alright you can send me off, but just so you know, you''ll have company. You''re not the only one who wants a piece before I go.¡± He finished before she gave him another peck on the cheek and left to get her equipment.


    ¡®Gods I''m glad I took his job!¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Kessa


    Kessa was in her office going through deal after deal, making edits or approving them before sending them back out.


    Shortly after the massacre, the guild found itself with a destroyed branch, one employee, and a ban on slavery in the region. But none of that mattered to them in the slightest, because as far as they were concerned, those were acceptable losses in the face of doing all they could to trade with a summon.


    In fact they were so generous, the last word one would ever associate with the guild, that they offered to aid, yet another unfit word, in the development of the town turned city.


    As for Kessa and the branch itself, she was put in charge of it and given full authority in how to manage the branch, minus the slave collar. She knew the promotion wasn''t because she was the last one alive, but for being close to Leo, as well as making the first deal with him in the first place.


    But even though the promotion was mostly an opportunistic move by the guild to get into Leo''s good graces, Kessa made the most of it by making deal after deal to prove to herself that she was worthy of the position, and to honor its previous holder.


    ¡®Pursue. Profit. Prosper.¡¯ She sighed at the thought just as her receptionist peeked into her office.


    The young selarin wore a nervous expression. ¡°Um, miss Kessa. Lord Leo is here to speak with you.¡± She told her hesitantly, Kessa giving her employee a simple nod.


    The skilled arch-mage was sitting on the side of his staff as he floated into her office. ¡°Your waiting area sucks.¡± He remarked bluntly.


    Kessa wore an amused expression as she sat up, swaying her hips seductively while walking around the desk. ¡°Considering that almost everyone else would need to schedule an appointment, there''s not much of a point in making it overly comfortable.¡± She sat on the edge of her desk. ¡°But I assume you didn''t come by just to complain about our, accommodations.¡± Her dress tightened around her filling figure as she swung a leg wide over the other


    Leo''s gaze wandered over the provocative woman, who smirked at the attention. ¡°You are correct as always. I''m heading to Selaria''s capital tomorrow to work out a deal, and if all goes well, then I want this branch to start facilitating aid to the crippled kingdom. Paid for, of course.¡± He explained while exaggeratedly leaning forward on his floating staff to get a better view of her, playing into the simple game of tension that they both enjoyed.


    Leaning back to prop herself up by her arms, her dress shirt strained to hold back her generous endowments. ¡°Aw, how kind of you. A good boy like you deserves a reward for being so kind.¡± She paused for a few moments to give him a good show, but then let out a disappointed sigh. ¡°It''s too bad we don''t have the time for it.¡± She finished while straightening herself up, much to his disappointment as well.


    The human slumped on his staff and let out a resigned sigh. ¡°I would ask you to join me tonight, but you prefer alone time with a partner, something that I definitely can understand.¡± He paused to hop off his staff and compose himself. ¡°On a more professional note, how''s my commission coming along? It should have been done by now, or is at least close to.¡± He inquired with a vested interest.


    Kessa slid off the desk and walked back behind it to pull out some papers. ¡°Yes, it''s done and will be delivered to your estate¡­or you can pick it up at our makeshift depot. Also I just remember that I have a personal request from the guild.¡± She paused to read over one of the sheets. ¡°Alright, they just want to recommend a new name for the pleasure-chiefs, as the name seemed a little plain for their higher class clientele, and the popularized fapkin name is too crude.¡± She let out a chuckle at the absurdity of it.


    Leo snorted, being as equally amused while he tried to stifle a laugh. ¡°I''d happily toss a gold coin to whoever came up with that one. Well what is it, can''t be any better than mine or the people''s.¡± He remarked with a bit of a crooked grin.


    ¡°It seems like they''ve also paired it with a motto, it''s called The Mastur-Chief brought to you by the merchants guild, because we know what the ladies like.¡± She finished with an unimpressed tone.


    Leo started laughing uncontrollably.


    ¡®Am I missing something?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis was at the city''s newly built hospital, overseeing its organization, and giving lessons on medical practice to those who were relatively new to medicine.


    When she heard about the hospital, she was determined to have a hand in helping, because after the massacre she felt a new hollow feeling grow within her, completely unrelated to Taipa. She knew that it was partly because of the loss of her friend, but she also felt an intense need to aid those injured, especially after healing all those after the massacre. She just felt the need to help all those she could, a feeling that she thought was long dead after all that she''d been through over the years.


    The healer had recently finished a mock demonstration on a few things that Leo taught her involving the heart, that there was a short window in which it could be artificially restarted using a technique he taught her called CPR. He really was a wealth of knowledge, though he warned her to keep much of what he taught her to herself.


    ¡®If he didn''t tell me how medical magic could be used to cause even more damage than it could heal, then I would have argued against hoarding such life saving information. But after using it that way myself¡­ I completely understand the need.¡¯ She mentally recalled with a grim expression as she slithered down the halls to check on some patients, but blinked in surprise when she saw Leo skating toward her.


    The unbelievable man exaggeratedly slid to a stop just in front of her. ¡°Evening Allis. How''s it going?¡± He asked so casually that she couldn''t help but chuckle at the display.


    She smiled warmly at the only person she held as close to her heart as her sister. ¡°I''m doing fine, how are you? It''s been a week, so I assume you''re here to check up.¡±


    Leo sighed and shook his head with a beat expression. ¡°Was doing fine earlier today, but had to deal with some rude trespassers, and now I have to go to the Selarin capital tomorrow. Need to finally try and work something out before lots of people start dying, which is the reason I''m here. As you may have noticed, when it comes to high noble etiquette, I tend to take the straight road every time. I''m going to need a chaperone who knows these people, and would stop me from causing a diplomatic incident in the middle of another kingdom''s capital. So I hoped that you could fill the roll, if you''re not too busy.¡±


    Perking up a bit, Allis nodded with vigor, as not seeing each other for over a week made her more than willing to put up with any noble if it meant spending some time with him. ¡°Of course, I''d love to accompany you. I''ve just about finished establishing seniority, so things should more or less run smoothly without me now. Though I have to check around the hospital before I go, so just pick me up tomorrow.¡± She agreed happily, the tip of her tail swaying at the prospect.


    Leo smiled as he stepped onto solid air so he could give her a peck on the cheek. ¡°Then wait for me at Kesl''s bar, I''m going there to pick some stuff up before leaving, so you can have breakfast before you go.¡± He finished before stepping back and skating away.


    Allis smiled as he turned a corner, but felt something in her gut slightly sink for some reason.


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo walked outside the hospital to see that Sciesch was still perched on his floating staff. ¡°So, are you done?¡± She asked curiously, but her tail whipped a little impatiently, drawing out a chuckle from him.


    ¡®So much for good natured.¡¯ He thought disappointedly, but after learning that the tieflings weren''t a race created by the gods, coming from beyond the hell rift, then their demonic appearance and tendency toward an impish behavior with friends made a lot more sense.


    It killed some of his initial checked boxes though...


    ¡°Nope. Got one more stop, then we''ll head back.¡± He answered as he pushed himself up into the air, while pulling her along with him.


    ¡­


    The two flew across Telnar till they arrived over a massive depot just outside the developing city, and he only had to glance over the area once to make out where his order from the guild was. A grin appeared across his face as he pulled them both down to his new future method of travel.


    They landed next to a small mastless ship that was bottom capped with a sheet of metal, and had two long metal supports that ran along the bottom to prop it a foot off the ground.


    ¡°A ship?¡± Sciesch questioned as she hopped off his staff.


    Leo spun on his heel to face the confused looking tiefling. ¡°A schooner to be more precise! As well as my new way of traveling to other kingdoms.¡± He ended with utter delight.


    The tiefling tag along looked at him with an even more confused expression. ¡°You do know that most kingdoms are landlocked, Right? Including Selaria and Telnar?¡±


    The man stared blankly at her and simply gave his floating staff a nod, and he could visibly see her make the connections. ¡°You''re going to travel on a flying ship!¡± She yelled in amazement.


    A crooked smile crossed his face as he lowered his staff to step onto, before giving her a short bow. ¡°I would like you to accompany me back to my estate madam, we do have a schedule to keep and I would hate to leave you behind.¡± He remarked humorously while offering her a hand.


    Sciesch went wide eyed for a moment before she took on a whimsical personality. ¡°Well, my lord! I would be delighted to board your vessel on its maiden voyage back to your home.¡± She paused as she took his hand and stepped up next to him on the floating wooden prop. ¡°I hope it''s as captivating as people say.¡± She ended with an expecting look as they were lifted onto the ship.


    Leo stepped off the staff and onto the soon to be airship, and offered another hand to Sciesch. ¡°My lady, the home just barely matches its brilliantly creative architect in alluring beauty.¡± He paused to kiss her hand as she daintily stepped onto the deck. ¡°But¡­¡± He trailed off and pulled her into a close embrace, looking into her faintly glowing yellow eyes.


    ¡°She''s also kind of a child.¡± He finished bluntly, as he grabbed a potential intruder from behind.


    Sciesch huffed at her plan being foiled so abruptly. ¡°I''m getting predictable now huh?¡± She pouted as she backed out of the embrace.


    ¡°Maybe come up with something that doesn''t involve pegging me with your tail.¡± He shook his head with a chuckle as he walked up to the helm and grabbed the steering wheel. ¡°But for now, let''s see how well I can make this thing fly.¡±


    Leo overlaid his flight spell on the entire ship and set the directional controls to the wheel, while he himself adjusted the level of push for movement. He smiled as he felt the cast go through while the ship slowly began to rise, but couldn''t quite figure out why he felt that something important was missing.


    ¡°This is incredible! The- Um, what''s the ship called?¡± She questioned casually, causing him to smack his head against the steering wheel.


    ¡®Right, a name¡­ I could name it after a fictional ship? No, that''s a bit cringe. I''m in a fantasy world, so maybe something from human mythos. Naming it after a god relating to speed or travel is too on the nose¡­ I''ll probably be taking this thing to some pretty dangerous places. Well¡­dangerous for other people- Ah!¡¯ He lifted his head to address Sciesch, exclaiming the name as a perfect reminder for himself.


    ¡°Icarus.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 47.5 - Pancake Provisions (NSFW)

    _________________________________________


    Leo x Fel x Glia x Sciesch x Random guard#7


    Landing the Icarus just outside his home, Leo was met with the sight of his very confused guards, and a few of his loved ones with their mouths agape at his new vessel. He wanted to give them all a tour, especially because he himself didn''t yet check below deck, but they were burning what little daylight they had left, and he knew that a few people wanted to take a ride on something other than his ship.


    So he told everyone present the short of what his new ship was for, and as expected they all wanted a tour, but after reminding them of the waning hours, they gave each other knowing looks before they dragged him into the manor.


    Elaria giggled as the human was all but carried into one of the larger bedrooms by three different races. ¡°Don''t keep him up too late, we have a trip in the morning!¡± She yelled just as the thick hardwood door to the room slammed shut.


    Leo didn''t know exactly when he was stripped, only that he was before he even hit the king size bed.


    As he propped himself up, he saw the exotic and nude women standing at the edge of the bed while staring at him with a deep hunger in their eyes. He couldn''t help but reflexively gulp at their predatory gazes, but was absolutely aroused from the situation.


    Sciesch spun around to look through her bag, while the other two slowly crawled onto the bed, almost as if they were actually stalking prey.


    Fel pressed herself against Leo''s right arm as they kissed deeply. She also moved his hand in between her legs for him to rub her clit in small circular motions, eliciting soft moans of pleasure from the sensual dragon while her hands wandered across his body.


    Leo felt the familiarly cool feeling of a selarins tongue working his fully erect member, and he casted the temperature spell on her out of habit.


    Glia started to work in very slow motions, since Fel had informed everyone of how Leo had similar pheromones to the beast clans, and that it would make any with a sensitive sense of smell start to lose themselves. So she always started out as slow as she could to really savor him before she succumbed to her lust.


    The slow methodical actions of the two usually eager women aroused Leo greatly, as it seemed that they really meant to enjoy him before he left. ¡°What''s wrong? You three are unusually slow about this, are you really going to miss me that much?¡± He teased the two of them, but his breath hitched as Glia plunged her head onto his cock, and the cool walls of her throat tightened around him as she made excruciatingly slow bobbing motions.


    Fel scoffed and immediately pushed Leo onto his back before straddling his face. ¡°How about you put that mouth to good u~SE!¡± She squeaked as Leo pulled her down onto his barely vibrating tongue, the magical spell causing her to buck slightly as a shudder ran up her spine.


    Leo decided to match their pace as he pressed his tongue against her clit, playing with it for a bit, before he parted her lips with his own, causing the dragon to curl forward a little as she grabbed his hair with one hand and used the other to roughly play with her breasts. The sensation caused her to bite her lips as she groaned from the pleasure, Leo having a good view of her erotic expression as he softly ran a hand against the smooth and lightly scaled skin of her supple thighs.


    As the three on the bed slowly sunk into sexual bliss, they were all unaware of Sciesch, who knelt over the back of Glia, and wore an impish smile as she bit her lip at the sight of her unaware prey.


    Sciesch had brought a short, enchanted, slick strap-on she purchased from the guild. It was one of Leo''s popular enchanted exports, and she hoped to test it on Leo, but he made it very clear that he wasn''t into that. So she would just have to settle with pounding herself into the reptilian beauty. Positioning her hips behind the occupied selarin, Sciesch started stroking her new toy against Glia''s entrance, slowly rocking her hips back and forth as she activated the vibration setting.


    Glia started moaning softly onto Leo''s cock from Sciesch''s surprise item, causing her to kick up her actions on his pulsing rod, as she began twisting and turning while gaining speed.


    Leo''s arms wrapped tighter around Fel''s thighs as he felt Glia slip into more frantic motions, and he couldn''t help but reflexively buck in response, increasing his own pace on Fel''s now soaking wet cunt.


    Fel started to mewl as Leo pushed a little further into her, feeling him writhe around while he increased the intensity of his vibrations, which caused her to squeeze her legs together against his head. She almost panicked when she remembered her own strength, but then calmed down when she felt the massive amount of mana coursing through Leo. So she just rocked herself harder onto him as her climax began to approach, her back slowly arching as a result.


    Sciesch was getting a little impatient as she felt the vibrations of her smooth hardwood through the leather straps that creased along her pussy, while a soft vibrating bump on the groin pushed her want even further. She bit her lip as she grabbed the cool black scales of Glia''s firm peachy ass, and pulled back to slowly enter her wet entrance.


    Glia stopped her bobbing only for a moment as Sciesch''s enchanted toy entered her, and her throat and tongue tightened around Leo''s shaft as her quivering folds parted, resulting in a total breakdown in her restraint, as she began to desperately slide up and down the human''s fiery cock.


    Feeling his climax start to barrel toward him, Leo pushed mana into his arms to hold Fel''s hips completely still as he viciously increased his efforts within her, even pushing the spell around his tongue to vibrate her walls beyond his reach.


    Fel tried desperately to buck onto Leo, but his grip fixed her in place, causing little building tremors to play havoc with her senses. She lost any will to restrain her cries of pleasure as her upper body jerked around from the physical torment, and her hands left their previous positions to wrap around the top of her head as her mind began to go blank from his frenzied activities.


    Looking down at Glia, Sciesch''s tongue lolled out slightly with a wide and devilish smile as she pounded harder and harder into the cock hungry selarin, whose moans hitched unrestrainedly into her frantic blowjob with every thrust. She cackled a bit as she noticed Glia''s tail stiffen whenever she hammered into her, so she moved a hand to grab around it while leaning over her slightly.


    ¡°Well aren''t you the little stiff tail.¡± She whispered over her before giving her tail a hard squeeze and a slight yank, and at the same time, pushing her head down to Leo''s base while slamming deep into her.


    Glia let out a long muffled shriek as she orgasmed hard from three separate sensations. Her tail, her pussy, and Leo''s intoxicating scent, sent the selarins mind into the height of ecstasy as her tongue began to desperately coil around Leo to draw out his climax.


    Leo bucked hard as Glia enveloped him entirely, and he could no longer hold back as her tongue pushed him over his tipping point. He sent ropes into the hungry woman, his cum sending a pleasant wave of warmth throughout the selarin as it poured down her throat.


    Fel''s body went rigid, her back arching as she gushed from Leo vibrating her entire groin, and her orgasm made her legs squeeze his head so hard that she would have killed any other person.


    ¡°F~fuck! Ahhnnng!¡± Fel squealed as she was held in place, unable to do anything else but be forced to ride out the peak that Leo was pushing her up to.


    The four of them held the positions they were in as pleasure took them, but Glia, Fel, and Leo eventually slumped as they wound down from their heights. Fel rolled off Leo, Glia pulled off him, and Sciesch slid out of Glia as she looked over the three winded bare naked bodies below her.


    The tiefling licked her lips at the carnal sight, before hopping off the bed to rifle through her bag. She pulled out some leather binds and soft cuffs, then turned back to the bed.


    ¡°Oh Leo, I have something that you might like.¡± Sciesch called playfully, and Leo raised his head to look at her.


    The man''s brow furrowed and his eyes widened in horror, causing her to tilt her head in confusion before realizing that she was still wearing the strap-on.


    Sciesch stifled a laugh at his reaction as she began to remove the item of his deep concern. ¡°Relax oh mighty summon. Nothing I have is for you. Unless you want them to be?¡± She purred, but Leo shook his head vigorously to illustrate that he really doesn''t want them to be.


    Fel couldn''t suppress her amusement as she giggled at his display. ¡°You know, I''m alright with that hole being used. So why aren''t you?¡± She teased.


    Leo swung his head around to Fel with a very critical expression. ¡°Consider that one of the few differences between us.¡± He remarked matter-of-factly.


    Glia''s wooden legs went slack as she tapped a rune on both of them. ¡°Eh, have you even tried it? You won''t know if you''re into it until you do.¡± She finished as she pulled off both of her enchanted legs and tossed them off the edge of the bed.


    Leo turned to Glia with a look of betrayal. ¡°No, but that''s- I mean-¡± He stammered as all eyes were now on him, and he slumped his shoulders at the valid point and peer pressuring gazes. ¡°...Fine¡­ When I get back. I don''t want to have a limp or worse for my trip tomorrow.¡± He resigned while sounding like he signed his own death warrant.


    The three women gave each other a look of victory as Sciesch hopped back on the bed and started putting on her binds, while Glia and Fel gave her some assistance.


    Leo watched as the soft skinned scarlet beauty was restrained, her hands cuffed behind her back while her ankles were strapped to her thighs. When she was immobilized, Fel and Glia started playing with her body, kneading her ample chest and teasing her wet slit. Sciesch squirmed as the two gave Leo a good show, Fel kissing her deeply and rubbing her clit, while Glia licked, pinched, and sucked her deep red nipples.


    Fel pulled away from the kiss, the tiefling panting heavily at the two women''s ministrations. ¡°I think she''s more than ready, I''ll wait my turn and have a little fun with Glia while you fuck her senseless.¡± She told him with a sultry tone before pouncing on Glia, kissing her deeply as she pressed herself against her.


    Sciesch bit her lip and spread her legs invitingly. ¡°You heard the wise dragon, my lord. Please make a mess of this helpless little tiefling.¡± She begged readily, before whipping her tail around to tease her own tip seductively.


    Leo smirked as he stood up on his knees, and used magic to float the bound woman over to him. ¡°Why do I get the feeling that you would want something a little more¡­¡± He trailed off knowingly as he spun her over in mid air to face the bed, firmly grabbing the small rope that connected her cuffs. ¡°Rough.¡± He finished as he pulled her floating body onto him, sliding himself into her tight wet cunt, and started pounding into her while she hovered above the bed.


    Sciesch''s eyes half lidded as her tongue lolled out with a wide open smile of drunken bliss, while Leo used gravity to have her fall in the opposite direction of him as he pulled on her binds to ride her shamelessly.


    The tip of Sciesch''s tail found its way to Leo''s mouth, and he started to suck and tease her sensitive appendage. He also gave her ass the occasional slap, which caused her to let out something between a squeak and a moan while she clenched tightly around him.


    ¡°H~hardd~Er¡­ Fuck mee~, t-till I ca~ant w~Alk.¡± Sciesch pleaded through hitched breaths, and Leo obliged fully as he grabbed both of her wrists and picked up his pace, driving himself harder into the insatiable tiefling, causing her to lose all sense of self as all manner of lewd sounds came from the privately salacious woman.


    Meanwhile, Fel and Glia were grinding against each other as they continued to kiss passionately. They went on like that until the dragoness pulled away to look into the selarin''s glistening blue eyes, before tracing her tongue along her neck and down to her supple scaled breasts. She started to suck and play with one of them as she moved a hand to Glia''s soaked groin, rubbing her thumb against her clit as she hooked two fingers into her.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Glia moaned softly as Fel toyed with her body, but not to be out done, she snaked her tail between the dragon''s legs and started to tease her entrance.


    Fel looked up at Glia with a lustful expression, the corners of her lips curling up slightly as she shook her ass invitingly.


    Glia bit her lip with a smile as she pushed her tail into Fel, causing her to tense at the very welcomed intrusion as Glia started to tail fuck the erotic dragon.


    Fel''s toes curled as her moist walls felt the subtle contour of Glia''s silky smooth scales, the faint pressure causing her to twist her hips around to feel more of it, as if she desperately wanted an itch scratched. Both of their moans of pleasure were drowned out only by the sounds of Sciesch being ridden for all that she was worth.


    As Leo felt his climax nearing, he let go of the tieflings arms and flipped her over, bringing her up to kiss deeply while wrapping her tail around in his hand to squeeze. He could feel her shudder a few times at the maneuver, and he shifted his hips to churn her insides before resuming his fucking, her contractions gripping him harder as he forcefully thrusted up into her.


    Sciesch broke the kiss, her head swaying aimlessly as she wore a blissful smile, unable to do, say, or think about anything other than the mind numbing pleasure that was radiating throughout her body. Tremor after tremor after tremor ravaged her senses, causing her to feel like a puddle of pleasure.


    Leo removed one of his hands from her hips to set the gravity spell to piston the cock drunken woman onto him, while he grabbed a horn to force her to look him in the eyes, tilting her head slightly as he held it in place. And just because he had two more beauties to satisfy, he readied a high intensity vibration spell to go off at the moment of release, just to make sure she was down for the count after this one.


    If Sciesch could think straight, or think at all, she would consider spending her entire life getting fucked senseless by the human, as it was rare for even those of her own kind to draw out this kind of pleasure, ecstasy filling her veins as a special quark of her people multiplied the depth of every sensation.


    ¡°Soooo~ Gooooo-¡± Her eyes shot open and her body went completely rigid, as he buried himself deep and came, drowning her thoughts in an intense and indescribable wave of filling satisfaction.


    She shrieked for only a moment as she felt the first jet coat her depths, but that shriek turned into a silent scream as her insides vibrated to an insane degree. She reflexively tried to break free of the extreme sensation, but she was held in place by his magic and completely restrained by her binds, so she was forced to endure massive successive orgasms causing her to squirt over and over again.


    Leo continued to force eye contact as he bucked himself into her, cumming his last few ropes before easing back the vibration spell, slowly guiding her down from her summit.


    Sciesch was panting heavily while her skin was flushed a deeper shade, and she shuddered as he slid out of her. ¡°Can¡­ You¡­ Take off¡­ Stuff¡­ Going to¡­¡± She panted before passing out from the magical buzz still caressing her every nerv, and Leo couldn''t help but smile proudly at his first elimination.


    After removing Sciesch''s equipment and tucking her into bed, Leo turned his attention to Glia and Fel, and was unexpectedly surprised to see Glia domming Fel.


    Glia was straddling Fels face while she was tail fucking her, and wore a smug expression as she rocked around in slow motions. ¡°Oh~, who''s a good dragon¡­?¡± She moaned as she felt Fel''s tongue continue to explore her depths, and Leo watched them for a bit as he took a moment to stroke himself back to full mast.


    Leo crawled over to the pair, and started to play with Glia''s breasts, pinching and sucking her nipples before kissing his way up to her neck, and locking eyes with the black scaled beauty. ¡°You know, I think I should actually have a ride on the paper dragon before I get too spent on the real one.¡± She playfully remarked before she hopped off of a slightly disappointed Fel when Glia pulled out her tail.


    Noticing the somewhat crestfallen dragoness, Leo quickly used his magic to lay Glia and Fel on top of each other, positioning them both closer to the edge of the bed before he leapt off of it and landed right behind them, there dripping folds bare as they lay pressed against each other.


    Leo walked up to the pair as they craned their heads to look at him, and they both smirked knowingly. ¡°Now now Glia, It''s not fair to leave Fel high and dry like that. I think you should apologize while we both start giving you our full attention.¡± He finished while grabbing Glia''s ass, slowly sliding himself into her drenched folds.


    Glia let out an unrestrained moan as his burning heat pulsed against her tight walls, but Fel pulled her head into a kiss, their tongues wrestling as Leo started out slow fucking the selarin. Her body began to rock against Fel''s as Leo increased his pace, eliciting a faint squeak of pleasure from Fel as their breasts rubbed against one another.


    Leo slowly increased his speed, while his grip on her ass started to tighten, what subtle fat giving way to the firm muscle underneath. He went from a leisurely pace of drawing out long and soft moans, to pounding into her scaly flesh with relentless vigor as his climax mounted, and he delighted in the muffled sounds of pleasure that came from her as she came for him.


    Glia tried to break the kiss with Fel, but she was held down against the equally fiery body as Leo''s hammering increased. The combination of Fel''s and Leo''s heat started to push her to her limit, even though the spell was dissipating it the hotter she became. She began to squeal and buck as Fel held her in place, their tongues roiling around within each other''s mouths, while she could swear that she heard the naughty dragoness''s muffled giggle.


    The obsidian scaled selarin''s eyes began to rollback as Leo started to slap, caress and squeeze her thighs right below her ass, as the spot became unusually sensitive after the loss of her legs. It was one of the few bright sides she enjoyed as a pleasurable shudder ran up her spine every time he played with that area, even if nothing else ever compared to when he messed with the base of her-


    ¡®Tail!¡¯


    The singular word echoed throughout her fog covered mind as Leo squeezed the base of it and thrusted deep, pouring his unbearably hot yet blissful filling cum into her core. She was being driven past her limits as a few sharp and powerful orgasms momentarily shattered her mind while he gave her tail a couple of small yanks, making her cum harder in correlation.


    Fel held the frantic selarin down against her as Leo drew out every last climax from the woman, and she felt Glia soak her groin more than once, which gave her a slightly sadistic sort of satisfaction as she held her in place.


    After bucking a few more times into Glia, Leo slowly pulled out while Fel released her hold, and they both looked at each other with a pride filled expression as Glia laid passed out on top of her, wearing a contented smile as she started to leak some of Leo''s seed onto Fel.


    Leo lifted Glia off of Fel and tucked her into bed next to Sciesch, and he chuckled when Sciesch reflexively moved to cuddle with her new bedside companion. ¡°Two down.¡± He paused to look over at Fel, whose legs were spread wide for him as she sucked on her fingers, covered in leftover cum from Glia. ¡°One to go.¡± He finished with a smirk, but looked down to notice that he might need another minute.


    Fel looked slightly disappointed, but sat up onto her knees and patted them for him to lay his head on. When he laid down, she ran one hand through his grown out dark brown hair, while she leaned over to use the other to massage and play with his balls. ¡°You don''t have to worry about us you know, your rifles are more than enough protection.¡± She assured him softly as they stared contently into each other''s eyes.


    Leo smirked as he lost himself in her pools of grayish blue. ¡°Figures that I can''t hide anything from you. How long have you known?¡± He asked her as he lifted a hand to stroke her cheek, tracing his thumb along the scales that lightly patterned on her soft skin.


    Fel leaned her head into his hand as she closed her eyes. ¡°Ever since the massacre. You may be able to act normal around other people, but I can tell when I''m acting. Every so often I can just sense the concern radiating off of you whenever the topic of leaving Telnar for one reason or another is brought up. It''s probably why you haven''t gone out and done your job as an ambassador.¡± She answered as she began to slowly stroke him to erection.


    A distant gaze crossed his expression while his breathing sped up from her tender ministrations. ¡°I know, but every time I think about leaving, I picture myself listening to Kessa on the other side of that communication orb, while I was just screwing about as people were killed.¡± He winced when she painfully tightened her grip.


    Fel wore a slight scowl. ¡°Leo, just because you have the power to protect everyone, doesn''t mean you can. You gave us the ability to do that ourselves, and even then there are no assurances. People die, that''s just life. So stop with this savior mentality, because we both know it''s bullshit.¡± She scolded him as she waited expectantly for a response.


    Leo let out a resigned breath, having already been told this in one form or another. ¡°Alright I''ll try, for you my shadow.¡± He responded while pulling her down for a light kiss.


    Fel smiled warmly. ¡°That''s all I ask, my paper dragon.¡± She ended with a purr as she restarted her efforts on his nearly erect member, which didn''t take long to finish.


    Licking her lips, Fel straddled Leo and began slowly sliding her slit against his shaft as she played with her clit, while he grabbed her hips to help her rock back and forth against him. They both looked at one another as their desire mounted, her tracing her hands across his chest as he stroked the smooth fair white skin of her hips.


    When Fel couldn''t take the teasing anymore, she lifted herself up and carefully inserted him into her quivering slit, and a long and deep moan escaped her as her tight cunt parted to envelop all that she could. ¡°Fuck~¡­ I know I probably said this dozens of times, but fuck~ do I love how much you spread me.¡± She remarked while rocking around in small circular motions, making the both of them tilt their heads back at the blissful union.


    Leo glided his hands up across her body until they settled on her soft perky mounds, and she leaned forward for him to better play with her chest, while her arms propped herself up on his shoulders. She eased into bouncing slowly on his cock, because she wanted to draw out the pleasure fully and actually put in the effort to make love rather than just mindlessly fucking.


    She felt him pulse against her walls as he filled her soaking pussy, causing her to moan passionately as she looked down into his dark brown eyes, which were equally full of the same affection and desire. ¡°I love you Fel.¡± The affectionate comment caused her to stop and shudder slightly, as a small and unexpected orgasm shot up her spine.


    She looked down at him with longing, tenderly running a hand across his cheek. ¡°Then flip us over and kiss me, because even though I know without a doubt, I still want to feel how much you do.¡± She begged him, and he obliged by flipping them both over while taking care to remain connected.


    The summon started slow and measured thrusts as he kissed his summoner lightly, then passionately, kneading one of her breasts with a firm hand.


    The dragoness''s tail whipped around slightly as he gradually worked to give himself to her, all but worshiping her form as he savored his lover. He focused entirely on her pleasure as his pace crept up in rhythm, but still maintained long and deep strokes into her tight satin walls.


    When he broke the kiss, they looked at each other with a connection that was indescribable to the two, but they knew exactly what the depth of it was. ¡°I~.. love you so~.. much~.¡± She told him through labored breaths as her insides were churned, then Leo moved his hand from her chest to caress her cheek, and he rested his head onto hers while he picked up speed.


    Fel rested her hands on his back as he finally started pounding her into the bed, but it wasn''t frantic or desperate, it was a deliberate pace that pushed the two of them gently toward their release.


    Leo was balancing on the edge as he held out for Fel, wanting to climax with her as he felt her grip tighten more and more, her body tensing with his tempo. ¡°Leo~¡­ I''m gonna~!¡± Those words were all that he needed to hear as he slipped into hammering a few last frenzied thrusts, her tunnel convulsing along his shaft just before he came.


    Fel pulled him into a tight embrace as she felt him fill her womb with his seed, her legs locking around him as he continued to buck into her. Her body did the same, reflexively trying to push him in further while he sent his last jets to coat her insides.


    Leo felt her grip him like a vise inside and out, as she locked up completely for the short but powerful pleasure filled trip that they shared, and he stayed firmly within her as they both climbed back down from physical and emotional euphoria.


    Feeling that the day was finally coming to a close, as Fel lazily glided her hands across his back, he casted his magic to lift and tuck them both in for the night.


    He gave her a light kiss on the forehead, and she cuddled close to him as they both tiredly drifted off in contented silence.


    _________________________________________


    -Early Morning-


    Leo was in the large kitchen of his manor, only wearing his bathrobe due to just getting done in the shower, and was rifling through the large fridge for a quick snack. ¡®Maybe an orange? It''ll be another hour or so until the staff wakes up and preps something for everyone. So I should just have something small to hold me ov-¡¯ His thought was interrupted by the door to the kitchen opening, and in walked one of his guards, a yellow scaled selarin that was probably on manor patrol duty for the night.


    The selarin froze completely while darkening a shade upon locking eyes with Leo, who was pulling out an orange from the fridge, and he reflexively raised an eyebrow at her reaction. ¡°Oh, you must be a new hire. If you''re uncomfortable with patrolling the manor, then you can swap with someone who has.¡± He reflexively offered out of either genuine consideration or common courtesy, but he knew exactly what was going through the selarins mind as her eyes seemed to take him in as she was struggling to look away from his loosely fit robe.


    The human mentally sighed as the guard was apparently in a trance, and he was sure that she didn''t hear a word of what he said, which made him feel a little aroused from the woman''s lustful gaze. ¡®Alright, the Glia approach it is then¡­¡¯ He thought hopefully as he used magic to effortlessly pop off the peel from the fruit, then eating an orange slice before asking.


    ¡°So, do you wanna fuck?¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 48

    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Leo had spent the night with Glia, Sciesch, and Fel, a temporary goodbye of sorts that she didn''t think was the right circumstance for her first and genuine time with him. It resulted in her feeling a little lonely when she woke up this morning, but she knew that was just the small selfish part of her that grew to want him all to herself, a part that she was starting to get increasingly annoyed with.


    The selarin ran a hand across the empty space beside her on the bed and sighed. ¡®At least I''m completely sure of my feelings for him, now if only we could have a moment alone¡­¡¯ The thought trailed off as she got out of bed and readied herself for the trip.


    After a refreshing shower, she made her way down stairs to have breakfast. As she walked through the large halls she couldn''t help but drag a hand across the ornate walls, purely to make sure that her life up to this point wasn''t some kind of fever dream, and she smiled as her fingers traced along the smooth wooden grooves.


    When Elaria reached the dining area she saw Fel, Glia, and Sciesch all having breakfast, but Leo was nowhere to be seen. She eyed the trio suspiciously as she took a seat, because there was no way that they managed to walk down stairs on their own. ¡°So where''s Leo?¡± She asked curiously.


    Fel rested her head on a propped up arm, while forking some fluffy pancakes into her mouth. ¡°He went to pick up Allis and the provisions for your stay at the capital.¡± She answered before chewing some of the deliciously golden food.


    ¡°After breaking in the manors patrolling guard.¡± Glia supplemented while snickering, causing everyone else to start giggling as well.


    A staff servant brought out a plate of food for Elaria before heading back to the kitchen. ¡°It was only a few months ago that he was still acting a little awkward from having sex with other people. I''m glad he finally shook off that crap from his world.¡± She remarked before she started eating.


    Sciesch cocked her head as she brushed a strand of hair back behind her horn. ¡°Was it really that bad? I mean I didn''t notice anything.¡± She inquired a little skeptically.


    Fel let out an irritated groan as she pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°You were still just getting railed for the sake of it, not even a close friend yet if I remember correctly, but around us he acted like he just committed a serious crime after he had a little fun with someone else, and I had to call him out on it so many times.¡± She finished in frustration.


    The tiefling frowned deeply as she furrowed her brow. ¡°Huh, I mean tieflings can usually be monogamous, but we don''t treat sex like¡­that. And the texts we have of the second summon doesn''t mention his preferences, but to be fair the Archive doesn''t share much to begin with.¡±


    Glia fiddled around with the compartment on her legs, and tapped a small rune on it to adjust the amount of light it reflected. ¡°From what he told us, his world is amazingly boring. Now don''t get me wrong, that''s my preferred kind of life, but not having any prospect of achieving anything else is just fucking depressing. Especially without sex, it''s no wonder they make so many things to occupy their time. What was his trade again?¡±


    ¡°A video game developer I think. He said that it involved a lot of other professions, and that''s partly why he''s so knowledgeable. He said that worldbuilding and programming were his main skills.¡± Elaria answered as she finished her bacon egg and cheese sandwich.


    Sciesch perked up. ¡°Programming, really? Our religious texts on the second summon reference something called programming, I thought it was just a bunch of nonsense¡­ Maybe I should have him go over them with me to pick out the truth from the crazy bullshit. If nothing else it''ll be funny to see him cringe at how much they actually worship him.¡± She finished with an amused tone as she started finishing her sausage rolls.


    A growing awkwardness accompanied the silence that followed the abrupt end of their conversation, before Glia spoke up.


    ¡°So are we not going to talk about the flying ship on our lawn or what?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was flying back home with Allis and crates of provisions, having asked Kesl for more food to store on his ship now that it was done. He let out an amused chuckle while he watched Allis speed around in the air like a flying serpent as she giggled with glee, because he let her have the flight controls whenever they flew together, but since it was winter he also added a temperature spell to keep her warmer in the chilling air.


    He had wanted to teach her how to fly, but that meant that she would learn how to use gravity magic, and after having a serious talk about what that kind of power was, she refused the offer, saying that it was best to leave that kind of power in the hands of those who don''t want it.


    Her refusal both relieved and disappointed him, as he wanted someone to be able to smack some sense into him if he ever did go off the deep end. So then he had offered to teach Fel, but she said no the moment he was a few minutes into his explanation, because of course she didn''t want it, since they were reflections of one another.


    ¡®It''s not a problem now, and I trust my judgment as long as I have a clear head with friends and loved ones close by, but it''s when those things are threatened that worries me. I don''t want to go all injustice if those I truly loved were killed¡­ Oh wait, I''m going to the capital! I need to finally visit the temple and see about getting some answers from those ''gods''.¡¯ His thoughts finished as they flew down to the Icarus, and he saw all those to see them off, as well as the very confused ambassador escorts.


    Allis landed next to Elaria and Fel, giving them both a hug as Fel giggled. ¡°It''s only been a little over a week since we''ve seen each other, save this kind of greeting for when you get back.¡± The dragon remarked playfully.


    Leo chuckled, setting the few small crates of food on the ship as he flew down to the ground to join them. ¡°Well aren''t you affectionate, miss us that much huh?¡±


    Allis became a little bashful, quickly breaking the hug and slithering back from the pair before letting out a sharp cough. ¡°Uh, yes, well¡­¡± She muttered sheepishly.


    Elaria smiled warmly at the flustered mage. ¡°We missed you too Allis, and were happy that you''re joining us on our trip, especially since Leo''s diplomacy could use some work.¡±


    Crossing his arms, Leo took mock offence at the remark. ¡°My negotiating skills are fine.¡± He stated assuredly.


    Elaria looked critically at the stubborn man. ¡°So I just imagined that you sent the past, however many, selarin ambassadors on a one way trip to Rak''s statue¡­¡± She rebutted, and Leo shrunk a bit as he broke eye contact from the completely correct statement, as that was the entire reason for Allis coming in the first place.


    ¡®Yeah, but they deserved it¡­¡¯


    The queen''s messenger chose to enter the conversation, apparently a little impatient to get back to the capital. ¡°Lord, if you would be so kind, we should depart as soon as possible if we want to get to the capital at a reasonable time, since it is nearly a two day journey by carriage.¡±


    Leo looked at the messenger with a bit of a frown, as he didn''t expect it to take that long to get there. Even though he could just grab the messenger and turn the trip into only a few hours on the Icarus, he saw an opportunity to get acquainted with his new ship while spending quality time with his two loved ones. He also mentally noted that he needed to add maps of the continent to the list of things that he had to study, because the purchase always slipped his mind since he was worried about leaving Telnar on its own, but now that he was traveling he should pick them up at the capital while he''s there.


    ¡°Okay then, you all ready yourselves to start moving out, and we will follow you on the Icarus. Just give us a moment to say our goodbyes, and I''ll wave to you for us to go.¡± Leo told the selarin, who looked to the ship with mild confusion before leaving them.


    Turning to Fel, they both synchronously stepped into a deep embrace and kissed passionately before breaking apart. ¡°You know it''s both comforting, and a little creepy that we know each other''s thoughts so well.¡± He told her with a smirk, as she stepped over to Elaria to give her the same send off.


    ¡°Yea, but it makes the sex amazing.¡± She countered with a little snicker, saying her goodbye to Elaria, then walking over to Allis, who lightened a shade when Fel did the same for her. ¡°You may be very shy about it, but we consider you a part of the family, and if you do want even more, which I can guess you do, then a spot with us is always open for you.¡± She told the somewhat flustered selarin, who looked to the other two, and received a warm nod from both.


    The serpentine''s hood rose up while she teared up at the affection. ¡°I would love to, thank you!¡± She accepted with a joyous smile as tears of happiness streamed down her face, and they all embraced in a group hug before parting one final time.


    Leo flew Allis and Elaria onto the ship, and casted the flight spell on the vessel before leaning over the side to wave the small convoy of carriages to start heading out. Many of the drivers craned their heads to gawk at the ship as it rose high into the air before it began to follow them. He smirked at the reaction, and pictured what people at the capital were going to think when he passed through on the Icarus.


    ¡®Since Fel is staying behind, then this is my chance to make another ''proper'' statement¡­¡¯ The thought trailed off as the journey began.


    But after a few minutes of steering the ship, Leo got bored and set the flight spell to auto pilot, tagging the back carriage to follow so he could go below deck to explore and start enchanting parts of the ship for comfort.


    Floating up the small food crates to follow him, he made his way to the large reinforced open hatch toward the middle of the deck, specifying that he needed below deck to be secure to the designers. The ship was going to be his travel home, and he didn''t want people entering without permission, granted they would have to come up the already steep side of the ship, but it was always better to be on the safe side. He would have to make something for those staying with him to board more easily though, since he shot down the idea for a door on the hull, because as cool as it would look, it just made it easier for people to break in.


    When he got below deck he immediately found himself in the small galley, lit by a few dim lamps that were hung around the walls. A simple hard wood table protruded from the wall with a bench on either side, and directly opposite of it was the kitchen, it was made up of a box stove, sink, and two countertops lined up in a row. At the end of the row was a small walk-in closet that would act as his enchanted freezer. When he opened it he saw that the walls were lined with a thin metal sheet, and if the designers followed his requests then the walls around it would be well insulated.


    Stacking the crates in the corner, he pulled out a two inch metal cube and started enchanting it to draw in the thermal energy from the air around it up to a certain temperature, then it would just chill itself to get rid of the heat. It took only about a dozen runes, as he had done with his own food storage back at the manor, and when he revamped Kesl''s at the inn.


    Leo stepped out of the freezer and saw that Elaria and Allis had taken up a seat at the table. ¡°Have a look around already?¡± He paused to chuckle as he closed the door behind him. ¡°Well I guess it is a bit small compared to the manor.¡± He joked slyly as he walked over to the stove to start enchanting it.


    Elaria smirked as she bundled up in her coat. ¡°I think it''s cozy. And speaking of cozy, do you mind making it a little warmer in here first? Remember, we selarin don''t like the cold all too much, even with your enchanted clothing.¡± She reminded him, and he mentally winced at forgetting.


    He nodded as he pulled out his last two metal cubes, setting one to the side while he did the reverse of what he did with the freezer to one of them, having it create its own heat and leveling the air around it to match. He walked over to a small wall compartment that was near the exit, yet another special request that he had implemented into the ship, and smiled when he opened it to see that on the left and right side of the walls were wooden pipe openings that should connect to every area of the ship. One pipe had entrances that were a foot off the ground to take in air, while the other was closer to the ceiling to expel it.


    Leo placed the cube inside the compartment and set it to warm the air to a little above room temperature, then set about enchanting the back wall to start flowing air through, essentially creating a magical air conditioner for his ship. He had the same setup installed for Kesl, but he just opted to make a bunch of magical radiators for his home, since he didn''t want to start putting holes and out of place pipes in the pretty walls.


    Closing shut the compartment, Leo could hear the hum of air traveling throughout the ship. He frowned when he realized it would be a bit slow to start, so he simply snapped his fingers to instantly bring the temperature up, while the AC just continued to maintain it. ¡°Alright, all should be good for you to shed your winter wear.¡± He told the two as he took off his own jacket and scarf, and they soon followed suit as they slipped off their heavy clothing.


    Elaria stretched in her seat before looking between Allis and Leo expectantly. ¡°Should I wait here while you two go get a little more reacquainted? It has been a while...¡± She implied with a smirk.


    Allis lightened a shade, but Leo sighed. ¡°Not today. I gotta start enchanting a little more, for instance these dingy glow lamps aren''t gonna cut it. So I''ll be setting up proper lighting, among other things.¡± He saw that Allis had become a little crestfallen as her hood slumped.


    ¡°But, what you can do is shadow me with Elaria while I work. We can talk about how you were doing at the hospital, and I can teach you a few of the concepts that I use while I''m working.¡± He offered warmly, and Allis brightened immediately, feeling a light flutter in his chest as she beamed.


    ¡®This trip might not be so bad.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis had not felt such happiness in a long time, as she had new loved ones to call family. People who genuinely cared for her, pulling her out of the dark rut that she''d been in for years, and so much so that the hollow hole that held a need to ruin Taipa was little more than a speck compared to what it once was.


    It was months ago that she suggested that he didn''t need to help with Taipa anymore, as she didn''t want to burden him with the task, but Leo looked insulted. He said that he made a promise to a beautiful woman who begged him on her hands for him to help her, so nothing would keep him from fulfilling it. It was probably at that moment that she started to genuinely feel for him, but never worked up the courage to ask to join their relationship, which is why she cried with utter joy when they offered her to join.


    Allis was happily shadowing Leo while he continued to enchant parts of the ship, as the three of them got more acquainted with his new vessel. When he finished the galley, enchanting the stove, sink, lights, and a few small kitchen tools, he moved on to the bathroom.


    The bathroom was on the other side of the exit staircase and took up a lot of space near the peak of the ship, passing two small cabins on the way there. He said that he wanted it that size to accommodate any race that was larger than him, so the shower was nearly six by six feet, and Allis knew that her and her long tail would never squeeze into anything less than three.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As the human enchanted the shower he continued to explain the concepts being used, and how the interactions between temperature levels can create other kinds of phenomena besides with water, like tornados with air. She was hanging on his every word, but he suddenly diverted the conversation to another topic, and Allis pieced together that it might have been because of Elaria''s board expression.


    ¡°So, Allis. Is there anything I should know before we meet the queen.¡± He casually redirected.


    Allis cocked her head with a slightly critical look. ¡°Besides don''t fling her into the sky, nothing really. She doesn''t hold any real authority over the kingdom, and is looked down on by most power-tripped nobles. So just treat her with a modicum of respect, and she should do the same.¡±


    Leo furrowed his brow as he walked over to start enchanting the sink. ¡°What about the military, wouldn''t it be technically centralized under the crown? You know, since not every noble has their own private army.¡± He inquired curiously.


    The knowledgeable noble shook her head as she looked over his shoulder to watch him work. ¡°Yes and no. The real power behind the military are the nobles who fund it, they have way more control since without them there would be no centralized army.¡± She answered nonchalantly, and he stopped all of his enchanting while a familiarly wide and devilish smile crossed over his face.


    ¡°With what money?¡± He questioned knowingly, and it took only seconds for the both of them to go from confused to wide eyed, as they also made the connection.


    ¡®The trade isolation will drain the pockets of the nobles if they attempt to maintain the army they bloated in preparation for the war, while also trying to keep their own territories from starving.¡¯ She thought in realization, but Elaria mouthed it first.


    ¡°The nobles are going broke! Soon they won''t be able to support the army.¡± Elaria remarked in shock.


    Leo crossed his arms with a prideful demeanor. ¡°Yes, but that''s only a fraction of the problem that Selaria is facing. Since they can''t support a centralized army, then all that unity they were supposed to be portraying is shot. The kingdom will fracture sooner than they will submit to my demands.¡± He informed them with a smug tone, and the two selarins dropped into confusion yet again.


    And just like that, Allis was lost. ¡°Um, isn''t that bad, since you don''t get anything out of it¡­¡± She questioned in complete confusion.


    ¡®It would mean that he would have to deal with every noble, and who''s to say that other kingdoms wont start trading with them once Selaria as a whole doesn''t exist anymore.¡¯


    The summon snorted while trying to stifle a laugh. ¡°Bad? This is great! It means that they are way more fucked than I originally thought. Since the queen tossed her hat into the negotiations, then that means at this very moment she is the most dangerous and powerful person in the kingdom, because she controls an army that''s facing dissolution with their families that are facing starvation. She''ll lose her title along with everything else if the kingdom fractures. We might actually get shit done, because it''s her and the people against the nobility!¡± He finished with a manic smile.


    Allis''s eyes widened in disbelief, as he was thinking about the opportunity before him, not the potential mess after. ¡®This is probably the perfect time to negotiate then, because the kingdom is at a turning point that he could use to restructure Selaria. The queen would have the power to remove the nobles if she ordered the army to do so, and nearly all of them would follow it without complaint, as they also have everything to lose. Wait a minute...¡¯ Her thoughts trailed off as she realized something.


    ¡°You''re going to start a revolution¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo could not be anymore happy about today, as in just a few days he was finally going to lay that irritating problem with Selaria to rest. He was even going to offer to kick every noble out of their homes himself if that means getting it done faster, but for now he brushed those thoughts aside to finish his work on the ship.


    ¡°Do you hear the people sing¡­¡± Leo hummed as Elaria and Allis left to make something to eat for lunch. ¡°Eh, not entirely accurate, as it''s probably gonna be a standard monarchy with a sub parliament, but that''s a lot more preferable to the cluster fuck of a system they have at the moment. Ha, and I managed it in less than a year too, suck it Yez.¡± He finished with a shit eating grin as he was setting up an alarm on the hatch.


    He paused for a moment as he stared at one of the runes, and a familiarly nagging thought rose to the forefront of his mind. ¡®The hell is mana¡­¡¯


    As the inquisitive human delved deeper into messing around with the limits of what runes he could make, he quickly found that logically they didn''t make sense, because every rune had one visual appearance, were unusually versatile in how they could be used, and didn''t follow the intent rule for casting.


    For instance, up is a direction that in reality doesn''t really exist in space, and after some testing with intent, he found that the rune only ever went in a singular direction that was fixed to go above whatever it was being used for. Same thing with the clean rune, because how did it know what was clean or not? How did it even go about removing all the dirt, grime, and even smell, all within a single rune? Not to mention the translation rune around his neck.


    He could only guess one thing that would let him make sense of the system that apparently had hard set rules and boundaries that went against the ones of intent for casting.


    They were created separately.


    Why and how the system was made was a complete mystery though, as his only assumption was that the gods did, and that he had to know what mana was to actually make a system that uses it.


    ¡®Gods huh? I hope that they are more fictional fantasy, and less human mythos. Or at least chill, I''ll take a chill deity¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    ??????????


    Voice one : Finally! Maybe now we can have him help us.


    Voice two : You put way too much stock in human''s, just look at our attempts to recreate them.


    Voice one sighed : You damn well know why, even though it''s literally been over a million years.


    Voice two scoffed : Whatever, I''m not getting into another decade long argument with you. I''ll tell the others that he stopped fucking the natives, and might try to speak with us.


    Voice one snorted : Don''t call them that in front of Elsie, she''ll get pissy again.


    Voice two groaned : She just misses having a body, it''s why she puts breasts on the females of every race she makes.


    Voice one : To be fair, they are still very advantageous.


    Voice two : How! A quarter of the races lay eggs! Only a few evolutionary paths even have those traits, which are all supposed to be mammals. She even gave them to sentient light, light!


    Silence hung between the two for a few moments.


    Voice one : Still mad about losing the job huh?


    Voice two left one while muttering to themselves irritably.


    Voice one sighed : I can''t fault him, not much to occupy our time when we''re fixed to one place for all of eternity¡­


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    It was late into the day, and Leo was drafting some ideas for how to create a rune system for the Icarus to fly without his casting, when he heard shouting coming from outside the ship. Quickly putting on his jacket and scarf, he rushed up above deck.


    He spotted a large plume of smoke in the distance, and looking over the side he saw that the messenger was shouting and pointing in the direction of the smoke.


    The summon grimaced as he could piece together why the convoy stopped, and his gaze drew back to their apparent heading. ¡°That would be our resting stop for the night¡­ Which is on fire¡­¡± He finished exhaustedly, landing the ship and yelling down to the two selarin of his needing to deal with a problem.


    Both yelled back up for him to be careful, while Leo couldn''t help but smirk at the pair''s concern as he held out a hand below deck, and moments later his staff flew up into his hands.


    ¡®Tell that to whoever is about to inevitably piss me off in a second¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Bandit leader


    The bandit leader was walking through the village as her group ransacked the place, and she paused in the middle of the road to breathe in a satisfying breath.


    The raid on the large village was going fantastically, like all the others in the past two months. Ever since she managed to get a couple of mages from the destroyed academy to join, she had enjoyed smooth pillaging after pillaging, because peasants basically gave up when a mage showed off a little magic.


    Though she made sure not to kill anyone, because life grudges and a lack of repeat targets would be bad for her pockets. She was no longer afraid of the guild''s hiring of slavers, since they left Selaria, and she was not even remotely afraid of the army, because they were spread way too thin across the kingdom trying to maintain order.


    All in all she was having a pretty good da-


    ¡°Hello madam, it appears like you and your party are engaging in some pretty illegal activity.¡± A slightly irritated voice sounded from behind her, and she turned to see a man, no, a mage standing just down the dirt road.


    He was a strange looking mish mash of a race, but the allure was exotic enough to get her blood pumping. ¡°Well handsome, if you''re here to lock us up then I''m afraid that you are going to be very disappointed.¡± She snapped her fingers for her mage companion to guard her, but she noticed that the man in front of her smirked to her left.


    Looking to her left, she saw that the mage was shaking like a leaf while her expression was that of sheer terror. Believing that the mage was just too afraid to fight one of her own, she quickly pulled out her horn and blew into it four times to draw everyone to her position. It didn''t matter if he was a mage, she still had three more and over fifty people under her command, a few of which have killed mages in the past.


    It didn''t take long for people to start rushing to their location, while immediately beginning to surround the man. She wore a smug expression as her gaze traced along her girls that were surrounding him in a twenty foot radius, as even if he killed ten of them, they were all close enough that the other forty would restrain or kill him. But she became very confused when her eyes drew back to the man, as he looked even happier than before.


    The mage let go of his staff, and it floated aimlessly next to him as he started to slow clap. ¡°Ha! You know I thought that this would have been a lot more difficult, as I had to literally start ripping limbs off when it came to the last person I tried to have call his scum from out of the town. But here you are, not needing me to even prompt you. Bravo!¡± He paused to gaze around at those surrounding him, his eyes settling on those who were a little more covered in blood, and his visage became dark, very dark.


    ¡°Well, I would give you enough credit to not kill you all outright, as bandits being bandits isn''t really all that surprising, but I will have to still teach you all a lesson that you will never forget.¡± He finished with a chilling tone that genuinely unsettled the leader, and she became even more worried when she spotted two of the remaining mages also petrified with fear as they stared wide eyed at the man.


    The leaders worries were a little alleviated when the last mage stepped forward with a brimming confidence. ¡°The hell is wrong with you three. Never seen a male mage before?¡± The mage scoffed before shouting icicle a few times, creating three, one foot long shards of ice that floated to her right.


    The man turned to regard them with mild interest. ¡°Judging by how they are acting, I can personally guarantee you that they''ve seen one before. You though? I don''t think I can vouch for-¡± He stopped short as the mage shot an icicle at him, the direction aimed at his leg, but it stopped mere inches from its intended target.


    The mage faltered for only a moment, but then immediately sent the other two at him, one aimed at his head and the other at his chest, and they stopped short just like the first.


    The man smiled as he raised a hand and snapped his fingers, and the three icicles looked like they were melting, but not quite. She then noticed that the three petrified mages tried to run, but froze in place while they were in a mid step.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, I have some personal things that I want to talk to you three about, but the rest of you¡­¡± He trailed as the leader felt something grip her entirely, lifting her off the ground and pulling her into a small floating formation with the rest of her group.


    As utter panic started to set in, she noticed that the three originally terrified mages were not in formation, but instead sat in front of the man, completely unrestrained while half in the fetal position. ¡°I ask you idiots to deliver one fucking message! How do you let people''s imaginations run wild like that? I mean the dragon was just watching the whole time, you didn''t even need to mention her!¡± He shouted loudly as he berated the trembling selarins before him, and the bandit leader''s eyes widened with terror and realization as the pieces started to fall into place.


    ¡®Oh dear gods, he''s the summon¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo had spent almost half an hour putting the fear of humanity into the bandits, as well as letting out his misgivings towards the three former academy mages. The reason that he didn''t kill all of them outright was a two-parter, one was that he didn''t want anymore nightmares, and two was that they were bandits.


    Bandits were nothing like the monsters that attacked Telnar, as most if not all didn''t choose that sort of life, so many of them most likely had a story, some of which were probably directly tied to the economic collapse that he had a part in creating, so he didn''t want those kinds of deaths on his hands.


    Thus, Leo opted to fling them around with gravity, snap a few objects out of existence, and make them piss themselves by dropping them from the sky and having them stop just inches from the ground. Yeah, he knew it was kind of fucked up to use his magic like that, but it was either scare them shitless so they wouldn''t raid another village, or let them go with a slap on the wrist and an empty bottle of hope. After he was done he simply let them all go and warned them that if he ever caught them attacking innocents again, then he would snap them into nothing.


    A sigh escaped him as the denizens of the village came out of hiding, and thanked him deeply. He was tempted to ask about the number of dead, but he decided that would be bad for his mental health when he recalled Fel''s words. ¡®Even though you have the power to protect everyone, it doesn''t mean you can. People die, that''s just life.¡¯ Hence he told the villagers that his convoy and flying ship was going to be stopping here for the night, and to bring any of the injured to the ship to be healed.


    The human felt a little drained as he flew back to the Icarus, and informed everyone of the situation, knowing that the people in the escort wouldn''t help the peasants, but he resolved to put in a few hours of assisting them before he called it for the night. Therefore he, Allis, and Elaria assisted the village by healing the injured and removing rubble from some of the burnt out and destroyed buildings. Surprisingly, no one actually died, as most had non-lethal wounds on the arms or legs, probably from resisting the raid.


    ¡®At least that''s one small thing that doesn''t have to weigh on my conscience for no reason¡­¡¯ He thought with complete exhaustion as he entered the captain''s quarters, which was sectioned toward the back of the ship, in between the galley and large storage room.


    Leo turned to see a full sized bed on one side and an ornate desk with a few shelfs on the other, but he was too tired from enchanting the whole ship as well as assisting the village to form any other coherent thought, crashing out on the bed and quickly slipping into a deep sleep.


    ¡­


    The next morning had him feeling much better after a good night''s rest and a hearty breakfast, as well as sensing that he was back to well over a half of his mana. He chose to do a once over of the village before they left, and handed out a few enchanted plates that acted as portable radiators for the cold winter nights. He wanted to stay and improve the village more, but he knew that getting a deal worked out with Selaria would help them far more, especially when he started supplying aid to get the crippled kingdom back on its feet.


    So they continued to the capital when they were ready, leaving the partially destroyed village behind.


    Leo stood at the back of the ship above deck as he stared out at the cluster of dwellings while they slowly shrank behind them, and a feeling of doubt crossed his mind as his eyes grew a little distant.


    ¡®Hope I''m doing the right thing¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 49

    _________________________________________


    Vipa


    Vipa was sitting in a warm viewing room just above the capital''s massive main gate, as she looked out the large window toward the direction of Telnar. She sighed as she turned to her most trusted and dangerous subordinate. ¡°What makes you so sure that he''ll even come, much less today?¡± She asked a little skeptically, because she had plenty of other very important things that needed her attention, but always trusted Sairiss''s judgment when it came to the overly analytical and deadly selarin.


    Sairiss''s eyes were narrowed as they continued to be fixated on the distant horizon down the main road. ¡°Judging from how he reacts to people in distress or hardship, he will definitely come to assist Selaria. As for why today? The last noble sent was flung to the academy two days ago, yet the escort is a day late.¡± She responded in her usual monotone voice.


    Vipa raised an eyebrow, because Sairiss''s reasoning was monumentally vague compared to her usual explanations. ¡°There could be a multitude of reasons for that¡­ Bandits, weather, roadblocks¡­¡± She trailed off while letting her implication of doubt hang.


    For the first time Vipa saw Sairiss show emotion, as a look of disappointment crossed her face for only a moment. ¡°I¡­suppose you are right. I apologize for wasting your time general.¡± She remarked a little dejectedly, which threw Vipa off even more, as Sairiss''s usual emotionless persona slipped for the brief exchange.


    Vipa frowned slightly, as Sairiss had never behaved like that before, and it was strange that she found that more uncomfortable than her placidly cold demeanor. ¡°I''ve already cleared my schedule for the day, so we don''t have to go back to the palace. I recommend we take the day off to relax and chat for a bit. It has been a while since we''ve done that. I think we deserve a rest with how busy we''ve been the last few months, and you can tell me what''s got you so bothered...¡± She probed expectantly, and Sairiss became a little sheepish, which only made Vipa even more curious.


    Fiddling with the scales on her hand, Sairiss acted a little bashful. ¡°Well¡­ It''s my sister¡­ She''s apparently partnered to the summon, and if he''s coming then she might be as well...¡± She told her with a smile.


    ¡®Oh! It''s because of family, and the only relative she didn''t dislike- Wait?!¡¯ Her thoughts halted, and she straightened herself as the entirety of what was said hit her.


    ¡°Partnered with the summon?¡± She questioned with genuine surprise, as this was the first she was hearing of it.


    The usually emotionally limited woman stiffened and started picking at her scales. ¡°Yes, I have been receiving letters from her almost every week. Actually, she was the first one to meet him, stumbling across him while he was lost in a forest. And ever since they met, she''d never stop writing about him¡­¡± She trailed off in obviously restrained irritation.


    Vipa had navigated through enough potentially dangerous conversations to know that prodding her on whatever issue she had on that topic would be a very bad idea. Hence why she directed the conversation to herself and away from the summons relationship.


    ¡°I guess you''re very protective then, I can understand the feeling. I have a sister as well. Although I haven''t seen or heard from her in years, there isn''t anything that I wouldn''t do for her.¡± She remarked a little solemnly, as she did miss Allis very much.


    Sairiss had a sharp and deadly look to her eyes that would send a shiver up the spine of anyone who wasn''t comfortable with it. ¡°As would I.¡± She agreed with a chilling tone.


    An exhausted breath left Vipa as she resigned to thought. ¡®Maybe it''s time I look for her, now that Selaria is slowly falling apart, it may be the best time to contact her without those with a grudge seeing an opportunity¡­ She''s a mage and a healer, so she should be fine when it comes to finding work and protecting herself, but still¡­¡¯ She stared out of the wide window with distant eyes.


    The sprint to the top of the army''s ranks had been a perilous journey, one filled with back room deals, blackmail, and many backstabs. Only nobles got to the positions of major and above, and most who don''t manage to are soon either kicked out or executed because of their mistakes.


    For Vipa to even manage to get her position and hold it was a miracle in-of-itself, and she couldn''t help but smirk as she pictured how her sister might react the next time she sees her, possibly with her own massive escort.


    As she continued to look out the window, her amused expression slowly fell into confusion as a large object appeared in the distance. ¡°Sairiss¡­ What the hell is that?¡± She asked in slight disbelief as she began to make out a large floating ship that was following a number of carriages toward the city.


    Sairiss lifted from her cushioned seat with the silence of a ghost as she walked towards the window, before turning back with a happy expression. ¡°I believe that would be the summon.¡± She said with a cheery tone that unsettled Vipa greatly, as it didn''t fit at all with the woman she''d come to know the past couple of years.


    Vipa''s jaw hung loosely as the ship followed the carriages toward the main gate. ¡°Huh, sorry for doubting you¡­¡± She apologized before lifting herself up and slithering toward the exit to meet the man who helped cripple the kingdom.


    ¡®I hope any more surprises are kept to a minimum.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo''s brow was at a constant arch as his ship approached the massive twenty story wall that stretched for miles in either direction, and it only got even more imposing as its shadow crossed over them when they approached the giant five story gate.


    ¡®The fuck am I staring at, Ba Sing Se?¡¯ He thought critically as he gaped at the wall before him.


    ¡°Big, isn''t it?¡± Elaria remarked with a giggle from his left.


    Unable to take his eyes off the intimidatingly large structure, he craned his head upward to gawk at the height. ¡°Why is it so high? I thought selarins preferred to build downward¡­¡± He questioned in bewilderment.


    Allis tried to hold down her own amusement at his reaction. ¡°It''s a leftover from the last era. Selaria was a very contested territory during that period. Though we had help from the dwarves and elves building it because of our shared border with them, as they wanted buffers between them and the light born.¡± She informed the dazed human, who regarded her with a skeptical look.


    ¡°That didn''t answer my question at all. Why is it so big? Exactly what type of weapons needed this kind of fortification against?¡± He asked her while gesturing a hand to the colossal smooth stone wall.


    An exhausted sigh came from Allis as she turned to look blankly at him. ¡°You skimmed over the history books again, didn''t you¡­¡± She paused, and he shrunk in a bit while letting out an awkward little chuckle.


    ¡°Just look at what you created, your rifles alone can let any person kill a dragon. What do you think was made by the third summons knowledge during an all out continental war? And before you ask, no I don''t know exactly what kind of weapons were used, only that they were powerful and that the dragons destroyed all of it, along with any and all information regarding them.¡± She explained, and he furrowed his brow as he looked back to the wall.


    ¡®Artillery? No, that tech made walls irrelevant¡­ The hell did they make? Maybe-¡¯ His thoughts were cut short as a few people on the ground started yelling for him to land, as the Icarus was still about fifteen feet off the ground.


    After landing the Icarus, he grabbed his staff and flew the three of them off the ship to meet the two gatekeepers and a large formation of soldiers below. As soon as they landed, Leo smiled with confidence and stepped forward to introduce himself. ¡°Greetings, my na-¡± He stopped mid sentence as both Allis and Elaria rushed forward and embraced the two people that he thought were just manning the gate.


    ¡°Sairiss! It''s so good to see you again, how have you been?¡± Elaria remarked cheerily as she broke her embrace.


    Sairiss beamed at the affection. ¡°It''s wonderful to see you again Tessari, It''s been too long.¡± She responded with a deep and loving warmth.


    Leo''s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Tessari? She knows her name? Oh, this must be her sister.¡¯ The thought paused as he turned to the other pair. ¡®Wait, Allis never made any friends before running into us.¡¯ The thought finished as he looked at mystery person number two.


    ¡°Vipa, I''m so happy to see you again! And I don''t mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?¡± Allis inquired with genuine delight.


    ¡°I could ask you the same thing, Allis. The first time I see you in years and you make an even larger entrance than what I was planning on doing.¡± Vipa remarked with a wide smile.


    ¡®Vipa? Huh, another sister. When Allis took my offer for me to listen to her vent her emotions, she mentioned her a fair bit... Hold on, Elaria still hasn''t done that yet. She spoke so warmly of her sister, but never even mentioned her name, and is still very closed off when it comes to the rest of her family¡­¡¯ His internal thoughts trailed off as Allis and Elaria pulled their sisters over to him, which seemed like one hell of a coincidental meeting.


    Elaria was the first to introduce hers, Sairiss. Standing at around five ten, she was turquoise scaled with dark orange eyes. Her facial features were sleek and alluring while her form was very slender, from what he could tell anyway, as she was covered in heavy clothing for the cold air, which made it difficult to tell the size of her tail as it would be coiled underneath it all.


    He held out his hand to her, but he felt an icy shudder run up his spine as he looked into the face of the selarin, and the hairs on the back of his neck shot up instantly as she grabbed his hand. ¡°Ah, Leo, I have to thank you deeply for looking after my younger sister, and getting her to open up more emotionally to the world.¡± She told him with a genuineness that betrayed every one of his senses that were screaming danger.


    Before he could respond, his breath hitched as she pulled him into an embrace. ¡°But if you ever hurt her in any way, it will not matter if you are a god. You will wake up one day and find yourself being ritualistically sacrificed to a Shattered.¡± She whispered into his ear with a chill that made the cold around them seem warm, but then pulled a way to show a smile that he was positive didn''t accompany the threat.


    Sairiss brightened even more at the sight of her sister. ¡°I hope that we can get along.¡± She said with a mirth that left him speechless.


    ¡®This woman is bordering on an amount of yandere that I am not okay with¡­¡¯


    He shook off the terrifying moment, and mentally noted to look up whatever the hell a Shattered was. ¡°Uh, glad to finally meet you. Elaria had told me how kind you actually were, now that she properly understood her own feelings.¡± He returned the greeting before turning to Allis.


    When Allis introduced Vipa, Leo relaxed as none of his alarms were going off around her. Vipa was the same type of selarin as Allis, but her tail looked to be around ten feet and was a fair bit thicker looking from the thermal sleeve, accentuating her hips a bit more as it drew upward. Leo noted that since the tail was pure muscle, then Vipa''s would have some ridiculously strong crushing power compared to her sisters. Her scales were a dull gray with thin blue lines along her body, ending in loose patterns on her head. Her hard look betrayed her soft facial features, as her mossy gray eyes went over him with a little apprehension.


    The human held out a hand to her, and she gave it a firm shake. ¡°Hello, I''m Leo. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Allis has told me a few stories about you.¡± He introduced himself warmly.


    Vipa seemed shocked and very unsure about how to feel, her emotions visible to anyone as she studied him carefully. ¡°And I have heard many things about you, but I''d like to verify them myself. Also¡­¡± She trailed off as she looked between him and Allis. ¡°What exactly is your relationship with my sister?¡± She asked with a mixture of interest and concern.


    Stepping next to Allis, Leo placed an arm around her back, resting his hand on her hip as he brought her close. ¡°Up until recently, we were technically still friends, and as close as the word could get to being partners, which we made official not too long ago.¡± He finished before magically lifting himself up to give Allis a peck on the cheek.


    Allis laced her fingers and swayed her hips, an action Leo recognized was to show her deep embarrassment, but the joyous look on her face made him smirk as he rested his head on her side. ¡°Um, yes, I joined the partnership just a few days ago, but we''ve known each other since his arrival.¡± She remarked a little shyly.


    Vipa winced slightly as she slid into a guilty look. ¡°I-¡± She paused to look around. ¡°Can we speak in private on your ship? Let me tell my troops to let you through.¡± She waved a hand up, and three soldiers broke formation to rush over.


    After Vipa gave them a few orders, Leo flew the five of them onto the Icarus. He set the ship to follow the messenger''s carriage while it hovered up five feet off the ground, and then led everyone to the house of the ship right below the helm, which was furnished like a meeting area for negotiations. He told them all that he''d join them in a minute, because he wanted to have a quick glimpse of the city as they entered.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The curious man walked up to the bow of the ship to get a better view, and there was a rumbling while two massive runes appeared on the doors as they began to slide open. The Icarus started to move when the doors stopped, and the entrance was just large enough for his ship to pass through. When they passed the seventy foot thick wall, he was met with the sight of a large stone highway that seemed to lead straight to the city''s center, ending in what looked like another massive structure in the distance.


    Slowly swiveling his head to either side of the wide stone path, Leo saw that there were the usual single to two story brick buildings, but they were much wider, and he was sure that they stretched many floors into the ground. The layout of the buildings were also perfectly square city blocks, which made his expression grim as a few things began to link up in his mind.


    Now that he knew that Selaria used to experience constant conflict in a period that apparently had highly destructive siege weaponry, their architecture started to make a lot more sense, since they were the equivalent of bomb shelters.


    A pang of deep worry shot through him, recalling Allis''s words and Fel''s story. ¡°If that period had weapons that prompted this kind of development¡­ Then what might have the dragons kept from that era, because it would be stupid for them to have not¡­¡± He muttered to himself while making a mental note to call Fel and tell her to have someone always be ready to hit his little failsafe for Telnar.


    ¡®I just hope that I left them prepared enough to easily handle anything if I don''t get back before them¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Vipa


    Vipa had been, so far, impressed with the summon, as he had definitely demonstrated at least the minimum of the first hand accounts from those at the academy''s destruction. Now she just had to confirm the validity of the more insane abilities he possesses, but first she had to get a few things off her chest, because she would continue to feel guilty otherwise.


    She took a seat next to Sairiss on a couch in the center of the surprisingly warm room, while their sisters sat on the one across, and after some brief introductions the pair turned to converse and quickly catch up with their own relatives. ¡°My, this is quite the enchanted ship he has, it''s so warm in here. Do you know what runes can make a ship this big fly, because I assume it''s all from his otherworldly knowledge?¡± She casually asked, trying to make some small talk while Leo did a bit of sightseeing outside.


    Allis looked a little surprised at the question. ¡°The short answer is that it doesn''t fly using runes, it''s completely from Leo''s own magic, though he is working on something so it can. Also, what do you know about runes?¡± She inquired curiously.


    Vipa ticked another box for what was true, as the academy mages said that he hovered nearly fifty people in the air and restrained a dragon. ¡°Well, I finally bought a magical focus, but I only read up on magic in my spare time. Being a general is quite busy.¡± She ended a little smugly.


    Allis''s eyes widened as her hood rose up in shock. ¡°Really!? You actually managed general? Okay, you have to tell me that story over a few drinks when we''re both free.¡± She remarked with a bit of pride for her, but Vipa felt a slight pinch of shame because that story was less than savory, like most of her climb to the top.


    The general smiled warmly at her sister. ¡°Sure, and you''ll have to tell me how you managed to partner with a summon. I bet that''s way more interesting than simply ranking up in the army. What''s he like, and which of the rumors are true?¡± She agreed and purposefully redirected the conversation.


    An exhausted breath left the woman, possibly having been asked many times for obvious reasons. ¡°To make a long explanation short, he''s a mortal with the ability to rival the gods. Also, everything that was done at the academy and Telnar was him and not Fel, that''s the dragon. He was away from the town at the time, but when word reached him¡­¡± She trailed off a bit as she struggled to find the words.


    ¡°He did a lot of things that he didn''t think he was capable of¡­and he couldn''t sleep right for weeks.¡± She finished somberly, and Vipa couldn''t help but empathize with him, though she was still skeptical of her sister''s claims.


    ¡®No one truly knows what they are capable of until they''ve looked back on what they''ve done.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Sairiss


    ¡®Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill.¡¯ Is the reactionary thought that goes through Sairiss''s mind whenever she looks at Leo, but the urge was thankfully suppressed by her rational side, because there were just too many benefits to keeping him alive. She also had to begrudgingly admit that Tessari looked even more like a ray of sunshine than when she left for Telnar with Glia, who she also had to thank for turning Tessari from a broken woman into a much more lively spirit, something she was never able to do.


    Logically, Sairiss knew that she had to part with her sister, it was for the best, especially with what she was trying to do. Although her irrationally emotional side wanted nothing more than to lock Tessari up and keep her forever, she would then be no better than the family.


    Sairiss loved her sister more than anything else in the world, literally. She had zero emotion when it came to anything that didn''t involve her sister, and she would do anything for her, even cross the family.


    ¡°So Sairiss, what have you been doing? You don''t often write back and I''m interested to know what my older sister has been up to.¡± Tessari asked with a genuineness that caught Sairiss off guard, but she felt a sort of indescribable happiness at her sister''s interest in her life.


    The normally composed selarin squirmed a little with delight at being the one to get attention. ¡°Well, I, um, as you know I''ve been working with a general, and we''ve been rooting out some corrupt nobles from the army, trying our best to make the military a more fair place. It wasn''t until recently that most of the very problematic generals were stripped of their rank and kicked out by the queen, though some of the more powerful and deeply rooted ones are still an issue.¡± She ended with annoyance, as the faster she finished what she wanted to do, the closer she was to returning to her sister.


    Tessari gave her a smile that she wanted to lock away and cherish for all of eternity. ¡°I guess that Leo helped you out in his own way too then.¡± She giggled, which both melted and sent Sairiss''s heart into a rage.


    ¡°I suppose you''re right.¡± She remarked stiffly, which seemed to catch her sister''s notice.


    Tessari became a little concerned, much to her dismay. ¡°Is something wrong, do you have some kind of issue with Leo?¡± Her sister asked a little pointedly, and she gulped.


    This one question was something that Sairiss knew would ruin her relationship with her sister if she answered it, and a few awkwardly tense moments hung in the air before Leo walked in. ¡°Well that was a sight to behold¡­¡± He remarked to himself as he drew the room''s attention.


    ¡®Great, yet another thing that I''m thankful to him for.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo joined the pair of sisters inside after he saw all that he needed from the city, as most of it was probably underground anyway. He sat down in between Allis and Elaria, and both women reflexively went to cuddle up to either side of him, drawing critical gazes from the two across.


    Letting out an awkward chuckle at the very uncomfortable situation he found himself in, Leo directed his attention to Vipa. ¡°I take it that you wanted to say something away from even your own troops? Didn''t look like you were particularly happy about it either¡­¡± He trailed off expectantly.


    Vipa grimaced slightly as she leaned back into the couch. ¡°First I want you all to swear that what I''m about to tell you doesn''t leave this room, if not just for my own peace of mind.¡± She paused as the three of them agreed. ¡°I was mostly responsible for gathering together the rebels that took Telnar¡­¡± She admitted to the utter shock of her sister.


    Allis let go of him and leaned over the table with a look between anger and betrayal. ¡°The hell!? Fel told us that there was a kill order for any academy mages that were not associated with the guild!¡± She yelled while her words all but demanded an explanation.


    Vipa winced, probably guessing that Allis would know if she''s this close to the leadership. ¡°I was only brought into a plan by the queen to overthrow the nobility, I didn''t pick out Telnar as the first target, much less even knew you were there in the first place.¡± She countered defensively, and Allis looked conflicted before dropping back into the couch in a slight huff.


    ¡®Huh, so the queen was already moving against the nobility¡­¡¯


    He wrapped an arm around Allis to have her lean back onto his shoulder. ¡°Don''t be too angry with her, she didn''t have a say, and even if she did then you''d probably want to thank her. I mean if Telnar wasn''t picked, then I would have been dropped off somewhere else and we would have never met.¡±


    Allis relaxed into his hold as he reassuringly rubbed her shoulder, and her scowl faded as she let out a resigned breath. ¡°You''re right Leo¡­ Sorry for going off on you like that Vipa. It''s just that so many things could have gone differently, and I often think ba-¡± Her words were cut short by him giving her a sharp squeeze.


    ¡°We talked about this, there was nothing you could have done without knowing, even all my power counts for nothing if I''m not prepared.¡± He reminded her because there were quite a few therapy sessions all around after the clean up, and he didn''t want her to slip back into that mindset, especially when he still had that tendency as well.


    Allis leaned more onto him. ¡°I know, it''s¡­hard sometimes¡­¡± She trailed off, and he couldn''t help but agree with her.


    His attention shifted to Sairiss, believing that she might not have been alright with what happened at Telnar either. ¡°So, what was your stake in it? Since you did know that Elaria was there.¡± He asked a little accusingly, and Elaria also gave her a critical look.


    Sairiss shrunk at Elaria''s gaze, but narrowed her eyes to direct daggers at Leo, who totally didn''t flinch. ¡°If you must know, I was supposed to be filtered into the rebels on their trip to Telnar, and was going to be a tactical assistant to the former major. But I left on an assignment out of the kingdom, just when someone abruptly initiated the next phase¡­¡± She ended with complete contempt for the man in front of her.


    ¡®Ah, partly explains why she''s pissed with me.¡¯ The thought paused as he noticed her eyes darting to his hand on Elaria''s shoulder. ¡®Partly¡­¡¯


    All this talk of what was supposed to happen caused him to turn back to Vipa. ¡°Actually, mind telling us about the genius dragon''s plan? She never had the pleasure of telling us about it, even her own subordinate, and I don''t think that a queen would agree to anything without at least a general outline.¡± He probed a little curiously, interested in finding out what Yez was going to do before he took over.


    Vipa smiled grimly at him and straightened up. ¡°A lot worse than what you''re doing. She wanted Telnar to be a staging ground for capturing town''s, then spreading dissent through the kingdom when the academy sent mages to wreak havoc. Though when any mages did attack, we would retreat and set fire to the town''s supplies, blaming it on the academy to create more unrest. Then raiding and disrupting trade routes into the kingdom to hurt the nobility''s ability to make any gold. Essentially creating the situation were already in, but under entirely different circumstances and with a lot more deaths. So for bypassing all of that trouble for us so quickly.¡± She paused to bow slightly. ¡°I thank you deeply.¡±


    Leo''s brow furrowed as he contemplated the very horrible, but not at all bad, plan. ¡®So medieval terrorism¡­ That could''ve worked. Still a horrible plan that would have taken way too long with way too many lives, but given the level of incompetence by those pompous nobles, as well as the queen herself pulling the strings from the inside. It definitely would have worked¡­ Then again there was still Rak¡­¡¯ The thought finished with a shudder as he remembered the pile of mutilated corpses.


    Looking up to Vipa, he smiled and gave his own little head bow. ¡®No need to thank me since I would have done it regardless, though under entirely different circumstances as well. And because you''re being so honest, I think I should share a few things as well.¡¯ He paused for dramatic effect, knowing that Yez more than likely left out her own motives for helping them.


    ¡°Tell me, do you know the reason as to why that dragon was helping you?¡±


    _________________________________________


    ??????????


    Voice three : He''s going, he''s going, heeee''s going¡­ And he passed it. Better luck next time Rob, you owe me a vote now.


    Voice four : Damn it!


    Voice one : Could you two not bet on the first real opportunity in centuries.


    Voice two : He still hasn''t even managed a teleport, at least the second wasn''t that distracted by his lower half this much¡­


    Voice five : Well at least he has good tastes, and appreciates my wonderful work.


    Voice two : YOU! F-F¡­ No, not going to be baited again¡­


    Voice five : What''s wrong? I thought you''d be more happy that he stopped fucking the natives.


    Voice one : Alright, you both need to end it now or you''re going to be at each other''s throats for god knows how long. Also, who told her?


    Voice seven snickered: I thought it''d be funny¡­


    Voice one sighed : Of course you were listening in¡­ And he has plenty of time to learn Eugene. His previous profession was a game dev, so he should at least have the creativity to understand any of the concepts that we could teach him.


    Voice eight : Oh is that him? He''s so cute!


    Everyone : Hey Sara¡­


    Voice eight huffed : What?! We haven''t seen a human in such a long time, and the closest races can never quite scratch that natural itch for me¡­


    Voice five sighed : I know what you mean...


    Voice seven : Ha! He feels us watching him! See? He occasionally looks our way with a confused expression! Ha ha haha! God I miss that!


    Voice two groaned : Do we really need to all be here? It''s not like he''s going to visit us immediately, and listening to all of you is starting to make me lose brain cells, if I still had any.


    Voice one : It''s not like we have anything else more important to do other than follow or wait for him, and I think some of the others want to see what our potential little helper is like, so you''re better off just waiting at the temple.


    Voice two : Fine, but does anyone know if Ezekiel is gonna show? He''s been holed up in the manifold for months and I hate going to that place.


    Voice nine : He''s probably worked out the point and time that he needs to show up, don''t worry about it.


    Voice three : What broke to make him stay in that god forsaken place? He hasn''t needed to be in there for that long for the past three hundred thousand years give or take.


    Voice one sighed exhaustedly : Leo, that''s the summon, found a bug with the runes¡­


    Voice four : A bug!? That hasn''t happened since he rolled the system out. I mean he spent a good two thousand years on it, so what the hell did he do to break it?


    Voice seven started laughing uncontrollably : He made a toaster!


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 50

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    After Leo was done explaining the truth about the dragons and the last two eras, Vipa''s visage hardened after a brief moment of shock, but Sairiss only seemed mildly interested during the whole thing.


    ¡°I will inform the queen, we may have even more work on our hands than I thought¡­¡± Vipa remarked with a grim and slightly dark expression.


    ¡®I would imagine that the selarins wouldn''t be particularly happy with the dragons, since their saviors were actually the cause of them nearly being wiped out or enslaved by the light born¡­¡¯ He noticed that the ship had stopped, and not a moment later the messenger was yelling for them outside.


    ¡°Guess we''re here?¡± He stood up, stretched, then floated his jacket over to put on while the others started re-equipping their winter gear.


    Grabbing his staff and stepping outside, Leo had to blink the utter confusion from his eyes as he looked upon what could only be described as a massive Roman palace¡­but if nearly all the stone was replaced with wood.


    The similarities in architecture was uncanny with its excessive use of pillars and large wide angle roofs. Swap back out the massively thick log pillars, dark hardwood walls, and the black stone cut shingles with the materials normally used and it would be no different than a palace villa back on earth. He also noticed that the area around them for about a quarter mile was nothing but flat grassland with trees dotted around, and a fairly high wall that surrounded the estate.


    Elaria tapped the temporarily dazed man on the shoulder, shaking him out of his thoughts so he could fly all of them off the Icarus. When they touched ground, he was met with a long row of uniformed guards that wore a bit of very polished light plate and leather armor. In front of them was a pure white scaled selarin with pitch black eyes that wore more casual clothing, which confused Leo as the rest of the soldiers were heavily dressed for the cold.


    She was about five seven with regal features, and looked both dignified and disciplined in posture and appearance. Like most selarins, her tail was about palm sized in thickness, but was very long, the longest he''d ever seen on a bipedal selarin. It was about twelve feet and didn''t taper off at all, instead just ending in a rounded tip, and it moved around with a level of control that could make one think it had a mind of its own.


    As the group moved forward to start introductions, the messenger sped ahead and initiated that for them. ¡°Ladies and gentleman, may I humbly introduce the daughter of your esteemed host, princess Qassria Cobri.¡± She paused to face the princess before bowing deeply, then stepped to the side to start gesturing to each member of the group. ¡°Esteemed princess, I am honored to announce the arrival of, tactical hand Sairiss Venomara Scarlet, general Vipa Venara, academy mage Allis Sphara, Lady Elaria, and finally¡­¡± She paused again to take a glance at Elaria before continuing.


    Pulling out a small sheet of paper, the messenger coughed, and Leo frowned deeply. ¡°Summon, lord, arch-mage. revolution starter, expert tradesman, magical inventor, demigod, savior of Telnar, guardian of the innocent, breaker of chains, and dragon of the sheets, Leonardo Alexander Erizmendiz.¡± She finished to his complete and utter horror, but the princess appeared a little impressed.


    As he wore an expression of utter shock, the sound of two selarins giggling to either side of him drew his attention, and he turned to Elaria with a look of utter betrayal in his eyes. ¡°When did you even have the time?!¡± He questioned accusingly as his shoulders drooped, resigned to the fact of what just happened.


    Elaria held down her barely suppressed laughter to answer him. ¡°It was when you went to pick up Allis, but we''ve all been planning this for a few months now.¡± She responded with barely restrained amusement.


    ¡®Firstly, fuck you necklace for the breaker of chains bit. Secondly, I will have to have a talk with everyone that was a part of this little scheme.¡¯ He mentally noted with a bit of irritation.


    Letting out an exasperated breath, he stepped forward to clear up the little joke before anyone took it seriously. ¡°Apologies for the overly excessive introduction. My loved ones thought it would be funny to give me so many titles, but please disregard them and treat me normally.¡± He paused to pinch the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°I was essentially a peasant on my world, so I don''t like to be put on such high pedestals if I can help it.¡± He ended as he opened his eyes to see the princess now almost looking down on him.


    Leo realized that he may have humbled himself a little too much, because saying that he was a peasant in front of royalty would have obvious implications.


    ¡®How do I fuck up even when I''m trying to fix something!?¡¯


    ¡°Well, then you must be honored to work with us. Follow me, the queen is waiting on you.¡± Princess Qassria said with a condescending edge that made him genuinely think about sending her on a little skydiving trip.


    He chastised himself for the overreaction while they were led into the palace. ¡®No¡­ You can''t do that to every person who pisses you off Leo, especially to the queen''s daughter. I need to get th- What the hell is she doing?¡¯ His thoughts halted, because the princess had wrapped her tail around his neck like a leash.


    He glanced back to everyone behind him, and all of them seemed to be holding back some mixture of amusement at his situation, even Sairiss was raising an eyebrow.


    ¡®Is this normal? Maybe it''s some kind of royal custom¡­ But then why are they all looking at me like I''m part of some gag? Wait, is this because I said I was like a peasant? Possibly, but Allis isn''t doing anything so it might actually be some weird royal thing¡­ I shouldn''t have skimmed over my past reading assignments¡­ I feel like such an idiot right now¡­¡¯ He thought in resignation, as they were all led through the palace halls and into a large and long throne room with three titanic guards spaced out on either side of the walls.


    The guards in the throne room were very different from the normal looking ones outside, as each of them were Kesl sized, wearing near full plate armor and wielding weapons that would seem comically large to anyone that wasn''t over seven and a half feet of pure muscled power.


    There were also two of the uncommon quadruped selarins on either side of the throne that were wielding large lances, and considering horses were used as medieval tanks, then those two massively armored guards were the second most dangerous thing in the room.


    Leo glanced to either side of him to see Allis''s type of selarin that were escorting them slowly to the throne, each with nearly twenty foot long tails that were close to double Allis''s thickness.


    Even after all that, what Leo was most surprised by was that all of the guards were male.


    ¡®If I didn''t have magic, I would probably have been very concerned with the amount of nope in here¡­¡¯ His thoughts trailed off as they stopped a few yards from the throne, and he finally got a look at the queen.


    She was six feet tall, and like her daughter she was pure white with pitch black eyes. She had an even longer tail, closer to twenty feet, and he saw that it started to taper off at around thirteen, probably to denote maturity. Her features were a little more pointed, but held the same regal look as her daughter, though the expression on her face was that of an analytical boredom as he approached.


    The messenger stepped forward to introduce Leo. ¡°Presenting Summon, Lord, Ar-Mmnn nmm?¡± Leo had used his magic to shut her mouth before she embarrassed him again, and the queen suddenly seemed more interested, but a bit upset.


    He could hear some snickering from Elaria, but she sounded a little far from him. Craning his head slightly, he saw that the group was closer to the middle of the room, with the two serpent guards on either side of them.


    ¡®Hmm, I smell trouble¡­¡¯


    Queen Anasslia narrowed her eyes at Leo. ¡°Well, that''s a convenient way to shut up your lessers¡­¡± She remarked bitterly before noticing the tail around his neck. ¡°By the way Qassria, does he even know what you''re doing?¡± She asked while giving her daughter a critical look.


    The princess smirked as she coiled her tail a little more around his throat, which only piled onto his confusion. ¡°It''s simple mother, he is a peasant. I don''t need his consent, nor do I need to explain it to him.¡± She said smugly, and the queen looked speechlessly between the two before she groaned irritably.


    The oblivious human blinked, then furrowed his brow immensely as everything started to add up. ¡°Excuse me, but is she claiming me as a mate or something?¡± He questioned with a deep concern as he glanced at the possessive appendage.


    The queen sighed, and sat up straight to glare at her daughter. ¡°It''s an old practice that, like many things, has all but died out among our people. Now it is only done by those of royal blood, as well as a few nobility. And I would like to remind you Qassria, that other races are exempt, even if those laws did apply to his status.¡± She informed the now crestfallen woman, and he felt her tighten her grip before uncoiling it to step up next to her mother.


    He rubbed his neck and couldn''t help but chuckle a little at his own expense. ¡°It''s alright, I don''t re-¡±


    ¡°Before we continue, is it true that you were the one who captured and killed the butchers who attacked Telnar, all on your own? As well as leveling the academy?¡± She asked expectantly, and received a confident yes in return. ¡°Then I would like to verify your capabilities myself. Guards, kill him.¡± She casually ordered while leaning back in her throne, propping her head up on an arm with a slightly entertained expression.


    The unamused summon was about to lock up everyone in the room with gravity, but he couldn''t help but smirk after a quick glance at Vipa and Sairiss. The pair were a little confused at how relaxed their sisters were, while they held an arm in front of them, probably assuming that they would try to help him in some way.


    In actuality, Elaria and Allis appeared as if they were expecting to see something mildly entertaining.


    ¡®Well, if they want a show¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Vipa


    Vipa knew that the queen was going to test the summon to see if he actually had god-like magic, and if not then he dies, as either outcome would have solved a problem for them. Leo dies, the guild loses interest in Telnar and the queen could open negotiations to try and control the trade into Selaria. He lives and even surpasses expectations, then she takes him seriously and will make an effort to work something out with him to finally oust the nobility.


    It''s a win-win situation as the queen was already at the point that she needed to pressure more authority over Selaria. Now it was either do the work of kicking the nobles out herself, or let Leo do it for her. This little test was all just to make sure he is who he says he is, and from what Sairiss had said from her previously unknown intel, the kind hearted summon wouldn''t casually kill anyone if he did have god-like abilities.


    The only concern that she had was her sister, someone who caught her entirely by surprise. If he was killed, then Allis would most definitely hate her for the rest of her life. But Vipa had spent her entire life with a single goal, and as much as she loved Allis, her loyalties to the queen just barely won out in this regard. And while she was happy that her sister found someone to love, it didn''t help that she wasn''t too fond of exactly who that was.


    Thus she moved herself to hold Allis back like Sairiss did with her own sister, but they both became very confused when their relatives casually leaned to the side to get a better view. They were apparently completely unconcerned with their lover''s safety, and her jaw hung open a little when Allis just rolled her eyes at her.


    ¡®Was all that in the ship just an act? That can''t be-¡¯ Her eyes shot open wide as her head swung over to Leo, who was loosely surrounded by the colossal plate armored guards.


    She felt a monumental amount of mana surge throughout his limbs, and as the first guard lifted his massive halberd to strike at him, he stepped right into its arc and caught the blade with his bare hands as it swung down.


    The inscrutable human grinned wide as the guard struggled to pull the weapon free. ¡°You know it''s dangerous to play with sharp things, you could poke someone''s eye out with this.¡± He joked aloud while crushing the blade before letting it go, sending the guard stumbling backwards onto the floor with a loud thud.


    Only moments later, and three more stepped forward to swing their halberds at him, this time just the spiked side.


    The man suddenly found the top of his staff more interesting as he inspected the ornate owl carved into the hilt, completely ignoring the three, nearly eight feet, titans that were attacking him. When all of them hit their target, the spikes shattered on contact.


    Looking down at the bits of mettle on the floor, Leo shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk. Now look at the mess you made. If you don''t clean this up, someone could slip on them.¡± He mocked with a chuckle, and Vipa could feel some more mana get used up.


    The three guards dropped their weapons and tried to tackle him, but they all started slipping and sliding as if the floor was made of ice, and they were all soon enough falling over each other while trying to lift themselves off the ground.


    The summon sighed as he looked around at the remaining guards, who were slightly hesitant to attack. ¡°Are you not entertained!?¡± He shouted with his arms spread out and a smile on his face, and the two selarin that were guarding the group broke off and slithered at him at an insane speed.


    One of them tossed the other his sword before he coiled his entire body around Leo in a literal death grip, while the other started stabbing relentlessly at his head. ¡°Oh, this is comfy. It''s like a sofa¡­but standing.¡± He remarked with a chuckle as he wiggled a bit, causing the coiled selarin''s eyes to go wide as his grip was being easily pushed against.


    The absurd man frowned at the one stabbing at his head, who was getting nowhere with his efforts. ¡°Excuse me? I am trying to enjoy the comfy.¡± He told him in a little bit of mock indignation, before the swords were yanked out of the selarin''s hands by something unseen and sent flying outside the nearest open window with a tilt of his head.


    Vipa finally noticed that she felt almost no mana on whatever spell he used, but then realized that he wasn''t actually saying anything to initiate his spells. ¡®What¡­ What the hell?¡¯


    Wriggling a bit more in the bind he was in, he sighed, appearing overly disappointed. ¡°Yup, it''s ruined.¡± He remarked sadly, and she felt a bit of mana get spent before he shot upward out of the selarin''s grip.


    The selarin struggled to try and coil back around Leo, and the whole scene turned comical as he looked like a very slippery fish. ¡°Firmly grasp it!.. Or well, me.¡± He laughed while he continued to slip into the air, before landing on the ground and sprinting toward the exit.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The four guards on the ground finally stood up and proceeded to chase him past the pair of sisters, but he stopped at the doorway while all of his pursuers attempted to tackle him.


    Each one passed right through him as if he were a ghost, causing all of the dogpiled selarin to go wide-eyed, like he was an actual aberration. He laughed, but no sound was actually coming from him, but back toward the middle of the throne room, albeit a little high.


    She saw her sister giggling as she stared up at him, the real one, who was laughing in the air as his double faded away. He slowly lowered himself to the ground while trying to suppress his mirth at his little trick, and one of the two, four legged guards readied his lance and charged at Leo.


    He noticed this, then grinned wide while he waved out his cloak to the side. ¡°Toro! Toro!¡± The obvious taunt prompted the other guard to also ready their lance with a very annoyed expression.


    As soon as the guard was barely at his target, he was lifted into the air ever so slightly. It took a few seconds for them to register what was happening while their legs continued to try and push forward, but they slowed to a halt upon finally noticing.


    ¡°Come on! You''re almost there, don''t stop now!¡± The goading man mocked the guard, who simply slumped sadly in the air.


    His mouth hung open at the sad sight, and he dropped the side of his cloak to throw his hands up in the air. ¡°Ah come on! Really? How can you make me feel bad about people who are actively trying to kill me?¡± He questioned indignantly, while the rest of the guards surrounded him with determined and very pissed off expressions.


    ¡°Respect the effort, but unfortunately none of you are taking me as seriously as you should, especially when I can do this.¡± He paused to snap his fingers, then the plate armor and weapons of all the guards in the throne room bled away into the air, leaving a handful of dust to fall onto the ground.


    The throne room fell silent as everyone realized that everything that the academy mages said were true, and that he could quite easily kill everyone in the room with a snap of his fingers. All the guards glanced at the queen, knowing that there was literally nothing they could do to stop him.


    At that moment Vipa considered being the one to hide behind her sister, because that man was way more dangerous than a dragon. And as she looked back to Allis, she saw a smug expression cross her eyes as they met.


    ¡°What the hell is he?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Things were, so far, going quite well for Leo. He got to the capital before the mass deaths, met his loved ones relatives, and managed to show off properly to those in charge.


    Sadly, all of that didn''t help his awkward wincing at the guards and their resigned look of death. ¡°Alright, funs over. If your grace would be so ki-¡± He faltered at what he saw.


    The queen had a manic smile as she sat on the edge of her seat, her face a little flushed with excitement.


    ¡°Uh, your highness?¡± He inquired hesitantly, not expecting that kind of reaction from her at all, and what she said next threw him off completely.


    ¡°Would you consider a marriage proposal with my daughter?¡± Queen Anasslia nearly begged as she leaned even more out of her throne.


    His mind stalled for a moment at such a sharp turn in mood and conversation. ¡°...What?¡±


    Princess Qassria''s tail whipped behind her. ¡°Mother!¡± She yelled indignantly.


    Queen Anasslia raised an eyebrow as she stared confusingly at her daughter. ¡°Didn''t you have your tail around his neck not a moment ago?¡± She asked pointedly while her own tail almost curled into a question mark.


    Princess Qassria crossed her arms in a huff. ¡°Yes, but he''s a peasant! Even with all his power, his blood is beneath us. I was going to make him my concubine.¡±


    Taken aback at the blatant admission, his brow arched painfully high. ¡°What?¡±


    Queen Anasslia sighed exhaustedly while she leaned back into her seat. ¡°I would also be glad if you could fuck that purity belief out of her¡­¡± She trailed off with a sly smile. ¡°Or are you into an older woman, because I would be glad to have a proper marriage with you, as long as you don''t mind my other playmates.¡± She remarked a little eagerly, and a few of the guards took a glance at the queen with a look of concern.


    ¡°Mother!¡± The princess shouted critically.


    ¡°What?!¡± Two people responded for completely different reasons.


    _________________________________________


    Anasslia


    Power and restraint, those were the pillars that held up Anasslia''s entire world view, it''s why she hated the nobility and rampant abuse in what was supposed to be her kingdom. She saw how her birthright was rotting away from the greedy and incompetent people that placed blood above any strength of their own, even though she knew she was being hypocritical with her own claim.


    She tried to live up to her ideals through refining her body and mind to be worthy of her title, but the position was a hollow one as long as the nobility had true power over the kingdom. So like those before her, she worked for most of her life trying to increase the crown''s influence and authority, but the power to do so was always out of her reach, until it suddenly fell into her lap due to the efforts of a single man.


    She had almost dismissed said man out of reflex, because of her constant dealings with anyone with a modicum of authority left her with a dim view on anyone who had any. Having power, and being worthy or proficient in wielding it, were mutually exclusive. It was why she was so disinterested in him, that is until the fight started.


    Watching the summon casually dismiss her guards with ease was just half of her instant interest in the man, her other being that he was simply putting on a show, and not one of force, but genuinely having fun. Anyone else with the kind of power he held would have simply killed everyone in the room, but his restraint made her excited in more ways than one, because even though it was a crude spectacle, it demonstrated his total discipline and skill. She also had the ability to sense mana, and she only wished that her daughter could have felt it too, along with her doubtful and absentee arch-mage.


    Her mind raced with questions as the show ended. ¡®What were the limits of his power? He most certainly can kill a dragon, but what would he be like against a minor god? Why wasn''t he just taking over the world? Does he actually care about those who are so weak compared to him? What would he do to those who harmed the things he held dear?¡¯ The last question prevented any others from arising, because she already had the answer to that, and a new goal had been set for her ambitions.


    After the brief exchange of offering herself and her daughter up for marriage, Anasslia clasped her hands to explain the obvious reason for it. ¡°Look, it''s simple. A joining of our kingdoms would be the best possible outcome for all involved. You gain legitimate authority within Selaria, especially with you as a gatekeeper with your position in Telnar, and we get to finally remove the nobility.¡± She finished with a cheery tone, trying to make it sound as desirable as possible, while also moving a hand up to prevent her daughter''s irrational protest.


    The human appeared even more confused by her explanation as he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Okay, hold it. You didn''t look too thrilled when your daughter''s tail was around my neck. Why the sudden and very eager change of heart?¡± He inquired skeptically, but she smiled wider at the non-refusal.


    Not wanting to admit everything, she gave a partly honest reasoning for her change of mind. ¡°There may have been two obvious motives for testing you, but there is a third that was more personal. You see, you can tell a lot about a person in how they fight, and I must say, I am more than impressed with your actions.¡±


    Her words seemed to have peaked his interest, as he raised a curious eyebrow at her answer. ¡°Care to enlighten me on how I passed your secret test?¡±


    The selarin queen''s gaze smoldered while she looked at him, then went on to explain passionately. ¡°You have power, and not the kind that was just given to you. Even though I can''t wield magic, I''ve studied it greatly, so I understand that to do what you did takes a level of knowledge that is on par with the gods. Not only that, but you don''t seem to hang it over people, even though you were acting like an ass the entire time, you went out of your way to not outright kill or harm anyone. You were essentially putting on a show, one of which was very entertaining, even a little stimulating.¡± She ended with a sultry tone.


    Qassria''s tail whipped. ¡°Mother!¡± She yelled in protest.


    Anasslia directed a quick scowl at her na?ve daughter, because she was too stuck on lineage to see the prize in front of her. ¡°Excuse my daughter, her view on the world is¡­very narrow minded.¡±


    The queen had sent her daughter to the academy to learn and gain a little worldly experience when she had found out that she had and could manipulate mana, but it turned out to be an action that Anasslia deeply regretted to this day. Even though the princess graduated with an even larger hatred for the nobility than Anasslia did, she had developed a steeper and irrational belief that bloodlines meant everything.


    Clarity seemed to strike the now very desirable man. ¡°Explains quite a bit¡­ But I''m going to have to decline the offer, because I don''t know either of you well enough to enter that kind of relationship.¡± He paused to smile slyly. ¡°Though I would not be adverse to having a bit of fun, and I would be glad to fulfill the request regarding your daughter if she consented. It might take an entire day though¡­¡± He teased the now darker shaded Qassria, who quickly stormed off in both embarrassment and disgust.


    Anasslia laughed while her flustered daughter sped out of the throne room. ¡°I haven''t seen her like that in years, and I''ll definitely be holding you to rid her of that annoying trait.¡± She paused to stand up, and took on a more serious air.


    ¡°But that''s not why you''re here, and since the kill and marriage options are not practical nor desirable solutions, we''ll start our talks tomorrow in earnest. You will probably be staying here at the capital for a while, since we will have to work out many of the details with those who will be reluctant to give up their authority. You''re welcome to rest here for the coming nights, though I would fully understand if you''d prefer to spend them back at your ship.¡± She offered in a more refined manner.


    ¡®I did just order my men to kill him¡­¡¯ She thought a little regretfully.


    A contemplative expression fell over Leo as he seemed to genuinely consider the offer. ¡°Alright, I''ll accept your generosity. But just so you know I am partnered to a dragon, so even if you do kill me, you will be dealing with someone who''s a lot less¡­open to negotiations¡­¡± He let the very real threat hang, and she failed to hold down her brow from arching.


    The queen managed to suppress a pained expression as his words sunk in, because all she had to go off of was rumors when it came to anything outside of what happened at the academy. The one rumor that was hard to swallow was that he had a genuine relationship with a dragon, because of their reluctance to partner with shorter lived races. So if she did manage to kill him, then she would have probably given herself and everyone involved a death sentence.


    ¡®Glad he surpassed my expectations.¡¯ She thought with a bit of relief.


    She gestured for the rest of his party to be brought forward, and she was introduced to two of his partners, while being surprised that they were also both sisters to her most trusted soldiers. Vipa told her that she was just as surprised, but Sairiss being Sairiss said that she never asked, which actually went to explain some of the intel she had on the summon.


    Although, Anasslia was upset that Sairiss didn''t share more.


    Before any more idle chatter continued, Vipa stepped forward with a dark expression. ¡°Your majesty, I have something that I wish to speak with you in private about. It is very sensitive information that pertains to the kingdom, and even the world as a whole.¡± They requested with a grimness that the selarin royal only saw when they had discovered that someone close had betrayed her, so she dismissed everyone to speak alone with her two allies.


    ¡®I wonder what unfortunate soul has crossed me this time.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Qassria


    Qassria was fuming in her chambers, trying to get over what happened in the throne room while her tail whipped this way and that.


    Her mother''s flippant indecency always riled her up, but now a lowborn mutt had the gall to do the same, which wound her up even more. ¡°That insolent, diluted blood, uncivilized, mutt! I can''t believe I wrapped my tail around his filthy neck, he''s not fit to even be my concubine!¡± She steamed while pacing back and forth in a huff.


    She was originally going to offer herself gracefully to the vaunted summon, but as soon as he admitted that he was a peasant she simply claimed him immediately, since it was only right that someone of such low birth would submit to her.


    His blood status meant that he would never properly be her equal, so a marriage as one was unacceptable.


    ¡°Gods! Mother is simply too accepting of the ill bred she brings into her chambers, offering me up to someone so¡­ so¡­ Beneath me!¡± She paused as her tail whipped the floor.


    ¡°Then she went and offered herself to him, and if he accepted then that would make that filth my father!¡± She shrieked in anger, yet what she was truly enraged by was that he refused both of them.


    ¡°How dare he turn down two offers of royalty!? Even with all his power, he is not even partnered with anyone of proper high birth. He should have been awed by the offer itself, to be treated as equals and given a proper title as king. But he said no! No!?¡± Qassria balled her hand into fists as she recalled her mother''s request.


    ¡°Fuck the belief out of me!? I should show that mutt his place and turn him into my plaything!¡± She paused to scoff. ¡°And what does he mean ''an entire day'', he wouldn''t last a few minutes.¡± Her self ranting was ended by her mother walking in with a very stony visage.


    The irate princess stepped forward to give her mother a piece of her mind for what happened in the throne room, but she froze at the piercing gaze that promised a swift retribution. ¡°I have something that I need to discuss with you, and you will listen without a single word back unless I say for you to speak. Do I make myself clear?¡± She said with a commanding harshness that made her gulp and nod vigorously, as her mother was genuinely serious.


    She had seen her get like this only a few times, and a majority of them were right before executing someone who betrayed her trust, which sent a wave of fear through the young woman as she was alone with her.


    The selarin queen sat down on a nearby couch beside the large fireplace and gestured for her to do the same. ¡°You must do whatever is possible to marry that man, and you will marry him.¡± She told her daughter who opened her mouth to protest, but halted as soon as her mother''s eyes narrowed to slits.


    Her mother scowled while looking at Qassria with a disdain that hurt her immensely. ¡°I do not give a damn about lineage, that should have been apparent when I broke the same name tradition of our family with yours. And if you don''t try to marry him, then I will. Because what I care about is restoring our family''s rightful place as the rulers of this kingdom, and permanently removing all the parasites from our lands.¡±


    Anasslia only held personal strength in high regard, it''s why her concubines doubled as her guard, but the only thing she desired more was establishing the crown as a center of power in Selaria.


    Ergo, something didn''t quite add up for Qassria, and she humbly asked to speak her mind on it. ¡°You are going to get what you have always wanted with or without the mutt, so why are you so fixated on a marriage with him?¡±


    Her mother stood up and her face grew grim as she spoke. ¡°We''ve had this conversation before, but can you tell me why our people prefer to build underground?¡± She asked as she slowly paced over to the fireplace.


    Qassria cocked her head in confusion at the turn in conversation. ¡°Originally it was to protect us against the light-borne''s weapons.¡± She wasn''t sure how it related to this particular summon.


    A cold expression crossed her mother''s face while she looked at the relics sitting on the mantle. ¡°And after the light-born were defeated, why didn''t we go back to building above ground? The dragons wiped them out, along with all of their weapons, so why did we continue to build underground with dull brick buildings?¡± She continued the well known inquiry as she traced her gaze carefully across the items.


    The mood felt tense as Qassria''s mother continued the conversation to an unknown destination. ¡°Well, we''ve lost all of our unique architecture, as well as most of our culture during the conflict. Since unlike the previous conquests that involved a summons knowledge, the light-born dragged it on for nearly three centuries.¡± She recalled the widely known fact, a problem that many races faced after the war.


    Anasslia paused her movements, and her eyes slowly narrowed at one of the relics. ¡°But were the light born to blame for that loss?¡± She asked with a sneer, whilst her attention casually shifted to the fire below the mantle.


    Confusion racked the princess''s face, as the question was obvious, but her mother was insinuating otherwise. ¡°I don''t follow¡­ The last era ended hundreds of years ago. What does any of this have to do with marrying me off to the low born?¡± She questioned directly, getting tired of being pulled along through a pointless conversation.


    Anasslia directed a chilling expression at her daughter. ¡°It has everything to do with him, because even when Selaria''s mine, I don''t have the power to carry out a new course that I will set for our people.¡± She paused to turn back to the mantle, and snaked her tail to pull down the item she had been glaring daggers at.


    ¡°You see, there is a tool that is used against me every so often, and that is the one thing that I hate even more than the nobility¡­¡± She trailed off for a moment to throw the centuries old gift from Selaria''s saviors into the fire.


    ¡°Betrayal.¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 51

    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo was feeling a little beat from the trip, not that spending it on the Icarus was any different than spending a day in a small apartment, but he wanted to sleep in a proper room for the night¡­and his new home might have spoiled him¡­


    That was half the reason he decided to take up the queen''s offer, the other was more about putting one good foot forward, since he wanted to continue without any mistrust.


    The mention of Fel also set his mind at ease when the queen looked surprised, because that meant that she wouldn''t try anything stupid, not that he got the feeling that she would.


    The servant pointed out three separate rooms for each of them to use, though they knew it was unnecessary.


    When they entered a room, Leo noticed that Allis started acting a little fidgety. ¡°Something up Allis?¡± He asked a little worriedly, and Elaria turned from the bed to face her as well.


    The serpentine froze up for a moment before her hood slumped a bit, a reaction that wasn''t one she normally had often and worried Leo greatly. ¡°Elaria? Um, your sister''s name¡­ It''s Venomara Scarlet¡­ Does that mean, I mean is she, and are you?¡± She trailed off with a little hesitation.


    Elaria looked away from the pair with a pained expression. ¡°Yeah¡­ And since you are a part of the relationship then you deserve to know that my real name isn''t Elaria, it''s Tessari Venomara Scarlet.¡± She answered with the grim admittance of murder, and Allis looked at Elaria as if she had.


    ¡°So your fathe-¡± Allis was cut off by Elaria.


    ¡°I don''t want to talk about it!¡± Elaria paused to look at Leo with a pleading expression. ¡°The past is the past, right?¡± She reiterated the familiar words with a shaky tone.


    Leo''s eyes softened as he recalled a long made promise that accompanied that conversation. ¡°And I said that I would listen when you were ready, but now I get the feeling that you don''t ever want to be.¡± He remarked sternly.


    The green scaled woman shrunk as panic over took her visage. ¡°I-it''s - I-I can''t. Please can we talk about this later?¡± She begged while trembling lightly.


    A grim expression fell over him, because he knew for a fact that she would just continue to avoid the subject. ¡°Elaria, if you don''t tell me, then I''ll just ask Sairiss.¡± He warned, but was only bluffing to get her to talk.


    Elaria shot both of them a horrified look that made his stomach drop, and she rushed out of the room without a word.


    Leo was about to go after her, but Allis slithered into his path to stop him. ¡°Leo! Don''t push her on this!¡± She scolded as she leaned left and right to block him from going around.


    ¡°Damn it Allis, you asked about it.¡± He spat as he was tempted to just push her out of the way with magic, but that would definitely be crossing a line.


    Allis narrowed her eyes while she rose a little higher. ¡°And I now regret it, especially after what just happened. You should know that you don''t press people who get emotional like that!¡± She berated loudly.


    The human ruffled his hair in frustration as he backed off toward the bed. ¡°Seven months, Allis, there''s a difference between letting someone have time to open up, and actively keeping secrets. Hell, she spoke so warmly of her sister, yet didn''t even tell me her name! The only reason I''m asking now is because she might not ever tell me herself, and while the past is the past, she still needs to face it before she can truly move forward, burying it only hurts her.¡± He paused to fall backwards onto the bed. ¡°Besides, I wasn''t even going to ask her sister, I would feel like shit if I learned the truth from anyone else, even you¡­¡±


    Allis was silent for a moment before she scowled at him. ¡°If that''s the case, then don''t fucking use a relative against her!¡± She yelled before storming out of the room.


    Leo laid there for a few moments as he simply closed his eyes and let out a breath that oozed depression.


    ¡°Can add dumbass, fuck up, and piece of shit extraordinaire to my list of titles¡­¡±


    Still, even after all this time, he wondered why Elaria refused to talk about it.


    _________________________________________


    Sairiss


    -FOURTEEN YEARS AGO-


    A dwarf was strapped to a chair as he pleaded for his life while Sairiss watched her aunt rip off his fingernails one by one. ¡°I''m sorry¡­ Gods please¡­ I''ll pay yo-Bahh!¡± He screamed as she ripped another one off.


    Her aunt set her pliers down on the table. ¡°Sairiss honey, can you remind the forgetful man while I get started on his other hand.¡± She asked sweetly, and began to pull the small table around to the other side.


    Sairiss''s eyes were vacant as she recited the family''s tenant. ¡°Rule seven, complete the contract at any cost.¡±


    Her aunt smiled. ¡°Aw, so adorably correct you are sweetie, and this soon to be not so handsome fellow, didn''t. In fact, they tried to do the opposite, and what do we do with those who do the opposite?¡± She questioned happily.


    Sairiss looked into the eyes of the terrified dwarf, her own being devoid of any emotion. ¡°Rule three, those who cross the family will suffer more than death would allow.¡± She answered blankly.


    Before her aunt could praise her any further, the door to the room opened, and her older cousin stepped in. ¡°Her father wants to speak to her.¡±


    Her aunt''s shoulders drooped while she wore a very disappointed look. ¡°I guess lesson time is over¡­¡± She remarked sadly as she walked away from the dwarf, but then perked up. ¡°Oh Sairiss, what''s rule five?¡± She asked while spinning around to pick up a small blade from the table, before using it to slice off the dwarf''s fingertips in one swift motion.


    ¡°Don''t leave work half finished.¡±


    ______________________


    -THIRTEEN YEARS AGO-


    Sairiss was in the dueling pit, training with her newly discovered sister. Her father had found out that one of his old flings had produced a child, and that her mother was hiding it from the Venomara family out of fear. A sentiment that was right to have, as the woman was strung up by her tail and tortured to death out in some random forest.


    Her father told everyone that he valiantly saved his Tessari from the people who did that, but everyone knew he liked to scheme, though no one knew what this latest one was.


    Sairiss didn''t care for the family though, and if anyone asked her what she did care about, she would say nothing. She had no motivations, no desires, and barely a will to live. So she just did what she was told, and remembered what was taught, not knowing what else there was for her to do in life.


    ¡®So weak¡­ Why is he even bothering to waste the effort on her?¡¯ She thought with little actual interest while she parried her vastly under trained sibling.


    ¡°Hmm, it seems like this isn''t enough of a challenge for you Sairiss¡­ Bring in the slaves! We don''t want her skills to dull on the fresh blood.¡± Cousin Risska ordered from up next to father, who sat and watched them with a slightly vague interest.


    She sighed, as she always was singled out for her lack of any visible emotions, so during training she would have to face up to five slaves. It was often difficult to do, as all of them were fighting to free themselves from their failed contracts. She usually ended up getting a few broken bones, nothing their healer couldn''t fix though, they were skilled and knowledgeable enough to heal the most brutal injuries like they never happened.


    Sairiss was soon surrounded by four other opponents wielding dull training blades, and a very confused sister. ¡®Right, she''s nowhere near skilled enough to face one competent opponent, probably doesn''t even know what''s going on¡­¡¯ She thought before taking the fight a little more seriously, but knew that she was going to end up crippled again regardless.


    Sairiss rolled her eyes when her sister backed off from the melee, because at least she didn''t have her attention split between five people. It wasn''t a long fight though, as one of them managed to strike a hard blow against her shin, sending her to the ground from the fracture.


    They all immediately closed in to break a few more bones, because they weren''t allowed to kill, but needed to have their opponent unable to continue the fight to gain their freedom. She closed her eyes, resigned to what was about to happen when a voice shouted from in front of her.


    ¡°She can''t fight, leave my sister alone!¡± Opening her eyes, she saw her sibling waving her training blade at her attackers.


    Confusion fell over her and the slaves at the intervention. ¡®What is she doing? Protecting me will only make Risska order them to attack her.¡¯ She thought in utter bewilderment, and after a curt nod from her older cousin, the slaves began brutalizing the inexperienced girl.


    Sairiss looked on as her sister screamed in pain, pleading for them to stop and someone to help, and her mind raced with questions and indecision. ¡®Why did she do it? Is this a test? What should I do? Should I do anything? I don''t understand. She''s so weak, why try and defend a defeated opponent? It makes no se-¡¯ Her thoughts halted when she locked eyes with her sister, and Sairiss felt a prick of something small.


    For the first time in her life, she actually felt something, and she didn''t know why. Her sister had more or less the same look as any of the people she killed or watched being killed, so why did she feel any different? The question didn''t matter though, because the feeling was overwhelming to someone who was devoid of it, and Sairiss instinctually latched onto the faint embers of emotion while her sister''s screams stoked it into an inferno.


    Everything after that feeling was a blur, and Sairiss found herself covered in blood as she stood over the mutilated bodies of the slaves. The confusion lasted for a brief moment as her thoughts flung back to her sister, and she spun around in a panic to help her, completely ignoring the pain shooting up her leg with every step.


    Sairiss''s chest ached as she stood over her sister, and it only sunk more into the feeling as her eyes drifted along her broken and swollen limbs. She could hear her father laughing with joy from his seat up above, but she tuned it out when Tessari turned their head to her with great effort, and two genuine and simple words echoed from Sairiss''s new meaning to live.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ______________________


    -TEN YEARS AGO-


    Sairiss had returned early from her special training in the backcountry, wiping out a few small camps of bandits that the family was contracted for, and she couldn''t wait to see her sister again as she skipped happily down the halls.


    The task took a few weeks, and she had been thinking about what she would do with Tessari when she got back the whole time. Tessari always brightened her up, and her smile made her overjoyed to see.


    ¡®Nothing else can compare to my belov-¡¯ Her thoughts were halted by a shriek of anguish that echoed through the halls, and she was instantly sure who it came from as she sped to its source.


    In mere moments she bursted into her father''s chambers to see him sitting in a chair, casually reading an enchanted book while Tessari was cradled in a ball at the farthest edge of the room.


    Rushing over to comfort her trembling sister, Sairiss glared daggers at her father. ¡°What did you do to her!?¡± She demanded, and he glanced over to her with a mirthful chuckle before directing his attention back to his book.


    She carefully pulled her sister up to look at her, and her heart cracked at the vacant stare in her eyes. ¡°Tessari? What happened?¡± She asked with tears beginning to stream down her face, and her heart nearly shattered when her sister responded.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ______________________


    -FOUR YEARS AGO-


    Sairiss had just finished up a contract even earlier than she usually did, something that she always tries to do to get back to her sister as soon as possible. Tessari was no longer the woman she used to be after that heart shattering day, as whatever their father did to her took away more than her memories. And the issue had many of the family members openly hostile to the broken woman, which only made her sister''s life harder.


    Currently, Sairiss was walking down the hold''s halls, hoping that Tessari wasn''t in the dueling pit again when she spotted her frantically sprinting toward her.


    It was only for a moment that her heart brightened at the sight of her beloved sibling, before it chilled when she saw the blood streaming down her arm. ¡®She''s not in the pit and isn''t on any contracts, so who dared to do this to her!?¡¯ Her thoughts screamed in a murderous rage.


    Tessari barreled into her chest, and looked at her with utter panic. ¡°Their trying to kil- Agh!¡± She howled in pain after a crossbow bolt pierced her shoulder, and Sairiss traced its origin to one of her relatives down the hall.


    ¡°She''s back early! Gonna have to kill''em both!¡± They yelled down the halls, and the keen killer''s blood became icy as she realized what was happening.


    The family was ruthless, strong, and powerful, everything that Tessari wasn''t. It was only a matter of time before people would start to see her as a total waste of effort and coin.


    Sairiss drew her sword, grabbed Tessari, and started down another corridor. ¡°Damn It! They''re making a break for his chambers! Cut them off!¡± The voice yelled from behind in a slight panic, and they were right to be, because no one crossed their father.


    The pair of sisters were nearly at their fathers chambers when she heard the readying of a crossbow from behind. She spun around as soon as she heard a faint click echo down the hall, pulling Tessari ahead of her to deflect the bolt with one swift motion of her sword.


    As instantly as she fended off the strike, she spun back around and continued to pull her sister toward their only hope, but they were stopped right at the last junction before the hall that led directly to their father''s chambers.


    An eight foot behemoth of a man covered head to toe in scars stood between them and salvation. ¡°This is to strengthen the family. Stand down Sairiss, and you live.¡± Uncle Des said coldly, but she knew that it was a damn lie.


    Since they both saw and heard who were attacking them, the only course was to kill both. ¡°Rule five¡­¡± She trailed off with a knowing sneer before shifting into a fighting stance, and swore that she would kill every person involved in trying to harm Tessari.


    Uncle Des barked a deep bellied laugh, pulling out his plated knuckle dusters. ¡°Can''t blame a man for trying.¡± He remarked humorously, and she could hear two more closing in from behind.


    ¡°I am sorry though, but it all comes down to rule one.¡± Uncle Des genuinely apologized with a mournful expression as he took a single step forward, the foot fall sounding like a massive thud due to his sheer weight.


    Sairiss thought that this would be it, but a voice from behind the colossal titan froze everyone in place, and the air itself felt frigid as the look of death crept into the eyes of their attackers.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Always strengthen the family.¡±


    ______________________


    -PRESENT DAY-


    Sairiss was walking to her room, the private meeting with the queen having taken less time than originally thought. The dragons were more than likely going to be the next obstacle on the selarin royal''s path, but the ex-mercenary had made it clear that she had no interest in helping once her own goals were done. Consequently she was dismissed as soon as the debriefing was done, stating that she needed to have a talk with her daughter.


    Admittedly she was passingly curious about what the queen''s next moves were going to be, but it didn''t matter since the issue with the nobility would be solved soon enough.


    The family wouldn''t allow that to happen though, since the nobility being removed from power would be a crippling blow to the coffers, and with Leo in the capital, they would soon arrive with some kind of stake.


    An assassination attempt was definitely likely, because the chaos happening through out Selaria would be their most lucrative period, and they might want to draw it out as long as possible. Even if it does drain the nobility dry, her father would probably see it as an opportunity to gain control over Selaria.


    She sneered at the thought, as it was certain that a clash would happen soon. Even though she was getting close to her goal, she made a promise to Tessari that she would never have to see that man again, and it pained her to have potentially broken it.


    As she neared her room, she spotted her sister crying while crouched against her door, and she instantly bolted over to her, barely making a sound. ¡°Tessari! What''s wrong? What happened? Who do I need to kill?¡± She questioned hurriedly, while the last one slipped out reflexively.


    Tessari looked up at her with watery eyes, and her heart ached at the sight. ¡°Ca-can we talk inside¡­?¡± She asked through a few sobs, and she quickly unlocked her room and hurried them in.


    She took a seat on the bed next to her precious sister, and was ready to go out and savagely kill anything that might have left her in such a state. ¡°I¡­ I need advice¡­ Leo-¡± The single mention of his name caused her to immediately cut off Tessari.


    ¡°Did he do this to you?! I''ll kill him!¡± She yelled as she tried to get up from the bed, but Tessari grabbed her arm.


    ¡°He didn''t do anything wrong! Please just listen¡­¡± The disheveled selarin pleaded, and her logical side took over to sit back down.


    Tessari slumped. ¡°I want him to know the truth about our family, but it''s just too horrible to talk about¡­¡± She said to her shock.


    ¡°He doesn''t even know who you are, and you''re with him? Does he even truly love you then?¡± She questioned critically, seeing that the relationship would obviously hit way more than a bump with that massive bit of closed off information.


    Tessari hardened her gaze at the question. ¡°Of course he does.¡± She paused while a pained expression over took her again.


    ¡°But¡­ that''s the problem. He''s so kind and loving¡­ It hurts whenever I think of telling him about the family, and what they put us through, what they''ve made us do¡­ I can still remember the screams of every person I killed.¡± She trailed off, and Sairiss felt pity for her cherished sister, but could never emotionally empathize with that feeling for another.


    The empathetically limited killer wished that she could experience her sister''s emotions, because she was at a loss when it came to feelings, so she did her best to logically reason it out from her own emotions toward her sister. ¡°Does he love you?¡± She questioned with very real doubt.


    Tessari scowled slightly at her as if she insulted her in some way, which hurt. ¡°I just told you yes, he does. So much so that it wouldn''t surprise me if he picked a fight with the gods to keep me safe.¡± She said with a certainty that caught Sairiss off guard.


    ¡®Alright, if that''s the case, then maybe this won''t be so hard¡­¡¯


    ¡°Then no matter what you tell him, what you''ve done, or how horrible our family is, is ever going to change how he feels about you.¡± She told her from her own heart, hoping that his feelings were the same if he would go that far.


    Tessari''s visage softened at the words, and her eyes grew a bit distant as she seemed to recall something. ¡°Gods, I''m being selfish again¡­¡± She trailed off bitterly, much to her sister''s confusion.


    Before she could ask what she meant, Tessari pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Thank you Sairiss, and not just for this, but for everything.¡± She paused to pull away.


    ¡°I would have been killed so many times if it wasn''t for you, and yet I never once properly thanked you for all the love and care you showed, even though you could have just left me behind.¡± She paused again to smile with a warmth that melted Sairiss''s heart.


    ¡°So thank you.¡± She finished with a genuineness that struck Sairiss''s very core, causing her to freeze up for a few moments as the words sunk in.


    She began to tremble as tears streamed down her face, recalling the last time she was genuinely told that by her sister. When Tessari pulled her into another hug, it only made her cry harder. The feeling was indescribable to Sairiss, and something in her had a massive wait lifted from it. She balled the back of Tessari''s clothes while she wailed into her shoulder.


    Even though she was so happy to hear those words again, there was a deep and burning anger that raged underneath it all, and she remembered what she promised to do. So as much as she wanted to just leave with her sister, a single thought echoed through her mind.


    ¡®Rule five, don''t leave work half finished.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Sairiss was beyond helpful in helping her sort out her feelings, though she still had a pain in her chest while walking back toward her room. The way she left Leo and Allis wasn''t the smoothest, and she hoped that Leo wasn''t angry with her for running off like that.


    After going over the whole situation in her head, she realized that Leo was just prodding her to open up. It was probably the logical thing to do to get her to talk about it, but she would have to chastise him about using a loved one like that. He could have just asked Allis, but that would likely have made nowhere near the impact that Sairiss would have.


    ¡°Oh thank the gods, are you alright? I''ve been looking all over for you.¡± Allis questioned while pulling Elaria into an embrace.


    Elaria welcomed the gesture, but was worried that it wasn''t Leo, and thought that he might be mad with her. ¡°I''m fine Allis. I just went to have a talk with my sister.¡± At those words Allis seemed both relieved and pissed.


    ¡°Well you shouldn''t have had to. I''m so sorry for bringing up the topic of your family, and Leo needs to apologize for what he did.¡± The serpentine remarked sternly.


    ¡°It''s alright Allis, I''m sure he''s realized that too, and as for my family¡­ He was right to push, since I would have just kept avoiding it¡­¡± Elaria admitted with a bit of shame.


    ¡°Does that mean you''re going to¡­¡± Allis trailed off with concern.


    Elaria rubbed the back of her neck with a resigned expression. ¡°Talk about It? Yea, come on, I want to explain it to both of you, even though you might already have some idea.¡± She remarked grimly while they started down the hall.


    Allis laid a comforting hand on her shoulder as they headed back. ¡°I''ll not judge you for the actions of the rest of your family, or what you might have done when you were with them, especially if the rumors are true¡­¡± She reassured warmly, which did go some way to relieve her, since Allis already knew about the Venomara.


    ¡®I just hope that he can forgive my past¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo had been staring at the ceiling of his room for nearly the past hour, going over all the series of events that led him to this moment and how he could have done better, which only made him even more depressed and was the main reason that he avoided doing that in the first place. Unfortunately, he needed to do some self reflection, because he felt like he was taking this world for granted again, a mistake that cost him way too much at Telnar.


    ¡®Allis was right to be pissed off with me, especially with how her family was used against one another¡­ If someone used my grandfather against me like that then I would flip out as well¡­ But the look in Elaria''s eyes, it was like I said I was going to dig up every buried body in her backyard¡­ Maybe I should just let sleeping dogs lie¡­¡¯ He sighed sadly as he closed his eyes, sinking further into a depressed mood when an irritating feeling crept over him again.


    His eyes shot open and he sat himself up with a scowl. ¡°Alright, who the fuck is there? I know someone has been watching me since I arrived, and I am in no fucking mood right now.¡± He demanded with irritation as his head swiveled to look around the very empty room.


    The mentally exhausted human rubbed his temple as he let out an exasperated breath. ¡®I think I might be losing it...¡¯ He thought tiredly, but the door to the room opened before he could drop back into his sulking, and in walked Elaria and Allis.


    A pain of guilt shot through him as he immediately got up and apologized to both of them. He was surprised that Elaria was very forgiving, but Allis stuck to being a little standoffish, which was more than understandable.


    His green scaled partner sat him down on the bed and had a serious look in her eyes. ¡°Leo, I''m going to tell you a little about my family¡­.not everything though¡­ I- I don''t think I can do that yet, It''s just that some of those things are way more painful to talk about...¡± She explained with a deep hesitation, before an awkward silence stretched on for a few minutes while Elaria tried to find the words to start.


    He had become very annoyed, not with Elaria herself, but with the fact that she thought that anything she or her family would have done could ever change his feelings. ¡°Elaria, you can tell me anything. I will not ju-¡±


    ¡°I know! It''s just, you''re so kind, and the Venomara can be even worse than the monsters that attacked Telnar. To describe that to someone like you is impossible¡­¡± She trailed off with some implication that he was obviously missing.


    A blank and unmoved expression was fixed to his visage, as he could think of some even worse things from earth that would pale in comparison to what happened at Telnar. ¡®But she doesn''t know that!¡¯ He realized as he facepalmed hard, confusing the two selarin greatly.


    Of course she was afraid to tell him, as he never once talked about any of the atrocities from his own world, only the positive technology and how dull and peaceful his own life was. He felt like such an idiot when he realized that it must have sounded like a god damn utopia to them, never going into how utterly fucked the rest of the world actually was with it''s long and bloody history.


    He looked at the two somberly. ¡°Elaria, Allis, it seems that you two have a bit of a misconception about where I actually come from, and why I feel so strongly about the injustices of this world. But before I explain, I need you both to promise me that what I am about to tell you doesn''t leave this room.¡± He asked both of them with a very serious expression, because a lot of the concepts that he was going to go over would probably wreak havoc on the rest of the world if they ever got out.


    The two of them looked a little puzzled. ¡°Sure, but you''ve already told us plenty about your world, what more is there?¡± Allis asked a little skeptically.


    ¡°How cruel my people can be¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Elaria


    Frozen, that''s what the two selarin were while Leo described unimaginably destructive weapons, mass killings, vile torture methods, social disparities based on the obscure, the absolute cruelty of slavery without the use of any magic, genocides that make the light-born''s look like a joke, and war after war after war. Even with all that, what horrified the pair was how casually he explained everything, and in such detail.


    Elaria''s entire view of the man was shattered, as he continued on unabated by the two. She believed that he came from a utopia, a place that saw life as precious and needed to be protected, and that''s why it was so hard for her to tell him about her family.


    Now though?


    It was like comparing a breeze to a storm, because he didn''t just say that a war happened and a lot of people died, but went into the details and death on a scale that made any war on their world look like a tavern fight.


    Bombs that leveled cities and poisoned the area for centuries, gas that caused an excruciating death, mass slave exploitation that makes the guilds a preferred alternative, a gruesome amount of ways to execute someone, and so many words for genocide that made both selarin begin to feel ill.


    ¡°Alright! That''s enough, we get it!¡± Allis shouted with a shaky hand while she held it over her face.


    Elaria had to agree, this was just too much to take in and she was at her own limit. ¡°I¡­ I didn''t know. But how could you possibly value life in a world like that?¡± She questioned disbelievingly, because it simply didn''t make sense.


    Crossing his arms, Leo looked at Elaria with expectant eyes. ¡°What were the exact words I said when it came to the past?¡±


    Clarity had struck her as she recited his words. ¡°You can''t let the past define you, only learn from it to better yourself now, so you can be proud of yourself later¡­ You try to better yourselves...¡±


    The human smiled, though his eyes were a bit distant. ¡°Correct, though we have a bad habit of repeating history¡­¡± He trailed off for a moment before continuing with a brighter expression. ¡°So, I want to let you know that even if I assume that your family does the worst things that even my world has to offer, It won''t change how I feel about you. And whatever you did before we met, does not reflect the woman that I''ve come to know now.¡± He remarked with a hard conviction that set Elaria at ease.


    Elaria took a deep breath, feeling way more comfortable discussing what her family does, but still not entirely ready to go into what she had done. ¡°My family are called the Venomara, after a long dead relative from the last era. We-they are deal makers, and will do anything for the right amount of coin, information, items, or basically anything of value.¡± She paused to grimace.


    ¡°And I do mean anything. A few of the family members don''t believe it, but apparently my father took a contract to kill a minor god and made it look like an accident¡­¡± She admitted grimly, and Leo''s brow arched a bit at that.


    A slight pain shot through her chest as she went on to explain further. ¡°Murder, torture, theft, assassination, black mail, triggering wars, pay them appropriately and they will do what the client wants to the letter. But what''s terrifying about them is that w-they don''t stop until they complete the contract, and will do anything to maintain and strengthen the family.¡± She paused as she felt her eyes water.


    ¡°Even kill their own weaker relatives¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo awoke very early the following morning due to feeling as if he was being watched, again. At first he thought Allis might have entered the room, since she decided to sleep alone to cool off from everything he had told her, along with still being a little angry with him for using another person''s relative against them.


    ¡®Yeah, really fucked up there¡­¡¯


    As he looked around the room he saw that it was empty, but he continued to feel like there were eyes on him. So unable to go back to sleep from the feeling, he chose to leave his green scaled partner and slip out of bed to get ready for the day.


    He yawned while stretching his arms out as he entered the bathroom. His mind drifted to what Elaria said about her family, and if he had to be honest, it wasn''t nearly as bad as he thought. But he couldn''t really picture much, because she still hasn''t told him the details, which was alright with him because he learned his lesson from prodding too hard.


    Although, like he told her many times before, he loved the woman she was now, and doesn''t care about the one she obviously left behind. But If he ever did come across the people who specifically tried to kill her, he might be tempted to send them on a permanent trip off planet.


    He slumped as he looked at himself in the mirror. ¡®I really need to make it up to Allis, because I royally fucked up with what I did there. Maybe a quiet dinner and a few basic lessons on biology, she definitely wanted some more alone ti-¡¯ His thoughts were interrupted by a very unfamiliar voice that echoed to his left.


    ¡°Hello? Testing testing. Is it working now?¡± A male voice that sounded like it was speaking out of a fishbowl called out from the wall next to the sink.


    A confused expression crossed over him, because he turned to see a variety of runes on the wall that were definitely not there before. ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah, I hear you¡­?¡± He answered hesitantly.


    Voice four : HA! Told you I didn''t need Ezekial! I don''t owe you shit now James!


    Voice three : Fine¡­


    Voice one : Cut it out you two. I''m pretty sure he can hea-


    Voice eight : Oh oh! Hey Leo, can you show me your-


    Everyone : Sara!


    Voice eight : Hey I was expecting to see him make a mess out of-


    Everyone : Sara!


    Voice eight grumbled : ¡­


    Voice seven : Hey Leo, Ezekiel says to go fuck your self! Hahha!


    Voice one : Jack would you plea-


    Voice five : Leo, I need a second opinion. What''s your take on lizards with breasts?


    Voice two : I swear to god Elsie!


    Voice five : Fuck off Eugene.


    Confused was no longer an accurate word to describe what Leo felt, just listening to what sounded like a low quality voice chat argument.


    Voice one : I told you two to cut i-!


    Voice six : About your relationship with Elaria, I recommend that you just talk things out with her to get as much out in the open as possible.


    Voice nine : Don''t forget that boundaries are always important.


    Voice six : Absolutely, and make sure that you apoligi-


    Voice one : Guys, your derailing the conv-


    Voice Ten : Ahh so this is where the party is!


    Voice eleven : Everyone''s already here! I knew I should have just followed Lee.


    Voice one : Fuck it! I knew this was a bad idea! Leo, just make sure you visit the city''s temple before you leave!


    The runes on the wall suddenly vanished along with the overlapping arguments that permeated the space, and Leo stood there with his jaw hung open as he realized what just happened.


    ¡°Were those¡­ Were those the gods¡­?¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 52

    _________________________________________


    Allis


    Allis woke up to find herself coiled firmly around her sheets, causing her to let out an irritated huff upon wishing that it was Leo. She knew that she was drawing out her anger with what he did a little too much, especially after he apologized, but she wasn''t going to let him off the hook as easily as Elaria did.


    She frowned as she coiled a little tighter around the sheets. ¡°Even if I do miss cuddling¡­¡± She muttered a little dejectedly.


    ¡­


    After getting ready, taking care to look her best given the environment, she left her room and saw that Leo was waiting in front of her door. He was floating hundreds of beautifully colored flowers, while holding two trays of food. The flowers were flowing around in a hypnotic rainbow above his head while he balanced both very large trays on each hand.


    The gesture set her heart into a flutter, but she wasn''t going to make it that easy for him. She tilted her head up and slithered a few feet down the hall, before stopping to glance back at the crestfallen man.


    The sight made her smirk, as well as feel just a tad bit of pity. ¡°Are you coming?¡± She called out expectantly, and he immediately perked up to follow her to the dining hall.


    Entering into the eating area, they saw that everyone was already enjoying a meal at the table. Allis took a seat as Leo placed her tray in front of her, a simple egg and cheese sausage platter with hash browns on the side, and a tall glass of orange juice.


    Allis turned to Leo with a questioning stare, because eggs were definitely not in Kesl''s provisions. ¡°What about the food on the ship?¡± She asked with a tinge of concern, not wanting to be poisoned if she could help it.


    He shrugged as he sat down to begin eating. ¡°Got up early and went to the kitchen and cooked it all myself. Plus, even if I didn''t, I don''t think her majesty would like a very pissed off dragon showing up to find all three of her loved ones dead.¡± He ended as he casually took a bite of his food.


    Turning to the queen, Allis saw her eating the same breakfast. ¡°Your grace, aren''t you concerned that we may have poisoned the food?¡±


    Queen Anasslia nearly choked on her food as she tried to suppress a laugh. ¡°If he wanted to kill me, he would have done it the moment I ordered my guards to kill him. Also, please drop the formalities. As far as I am concerned, we are equals.¡± She paused to look at Leo. ¡°Though in terms of actual power, I guess that statement is very inaccurate, and I thank you for the delicious breakfast. I love a man who can cook, very endearing. Isn''t that right dear?¡± She remarked sweetly while her daughter nodded in agreement, albeit a little forced.


    Leo accepted the compliment, but then furrowed his brow as if he was unsure about something. ¡°So¡­ What''s your opinion of the dragons now that you know the truth.¡± He questioned nonchalantly, and everyone took a casual glance her way, evidently also interested in her response.


    Anasslia''s mirthful front slipped for a brief moment, her face scrunching up in a scowl before resuming her positive air. ¡°Well... They are a future problem. Right now we should direct our efforts on the nobility.¡± She answered with a very obvious deflection.


    Allis saw the unsatisfied look in Leo''s eyes, and knew that he was about to engage in his usual form of blunt force conversation. ¡°Leo, you said that you wanted to visit the temple at some point?¡± She intervened to prevent him from doing something as stupid as pressing royalty for information they obviously don''t want to share.


    A confusion crossed over his features before his brow arched in realization. ¡°Right, I forgot to mention that the gods tried talking to me when I got up this morning.¡± His remark caused everyone at the table to look at him like he was either a liar or a divine.


    ¡®I''m a mage who is in a relationship with a summon, a dragon, and a Venomara, and am sitting at the queens table while she pines for him. Why didn''t I realize before that the gods really are guiding my fate¡­?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Meanwhile


    Voice two : You unintelligent, body whore!


    Voice five : One million year old virgin cuck!


    Voice three : No, he''s going to visit the temple today.


    Voice four : Well if you''re so sure, then bet a vote on it.


    Voice six : You know, I think if he just takes over the world he could spend way more time with his loved ones in the long run.


    Voice nine : But that would compromise his morals, I don''t think he wants to be the bad guy.


    Voice eleven : Would still be a much faster method to get stuff done though...


    Voice ten : So seen him fuck yet?


    Voice eight : Nope¡­ And I''m getting irritated with all the emotional drama garbage¡­


    Voice six : Hey! It''s not garbage, it''s genuine love!


    Voice nine : Something that you lower brain fucks don''t understand.


    Voice eight : Excuse me!?


    Voice ten : Says the fun sponge.


    As the arguments and conversations continue to overlap, voice one was positioned quietly near Leo.


    Voice one : I miss alcohol¡­


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Even though Leo had to go over what happened three times, everyone still appeared to be somewhat doubtful. He couldn''t blame them though, because the whole thing felt like a bad joke, but definitely went to explain why he always felt like he was being watched, because he was.


    Even in the shower he got the sense that two or three people were looking at him, which made uncomfortable a seriously understated word to describe how he felt, especially if he was going to have any more intimate moments with his loved ones.


    ¡®I avoided reading up on the gods because of all the sanctimonious padding that I''d have to shift through, but I might have to do some research before heading to the temple. I''ll ask if the palace has a library, and- Oh right I also need some maps too.¡¯


    After breakfast, everyone present was guided by the queen into a private room far underneath the palace to talk in utter privacy. He had offered to simply use his sound spell, even giving a brief demonstration to the queen, but she insisted that they have complete seclusion.


    He relented, understanding that if the wider nobility found out what she was doing, then they might just break off from Selaria immediately. Though some of the smarter ones could probably guess that he was already in the capital, because a flying ship just screams subtle.


    So the next few hours were spent hammering out a plan for the next two weeks, which will most likely be filled with peaceful negotiations with those more willing to give up their titles for something in return, and everything after was him helping the army forcibly remove anyone left.


    He attempted to work some kind of parliament into the talks, but the queen shot down anything that didn''t involve her having total control over the kingdom. Somewhat reluctantly, he opted for suggesting a small court of elected advisors, which was a lot more palatable for her.


    But as unmoving as Anasslia was on the position of her authority, Leo was many times more stubborn when it came to the issue of slavery. He told her that he would only provide full support for her claim after she agreed to ban the practice, as well as declare any that enter her territory to be freed. Initially, she was resistant to the idea, until he said that he would provide full support.


    The talks finished up with planning a ball in two days, so they could start weeding out people who are non-cooperative up front.


    ¡®Kinda feels like I''m helping a dictator¡­ Though that''s technically what monarchs are with extra steps- Ah, absolute monarchy¡­ Right¡­ Eh, she seems like more of a for the good of the people type, rather than the off with their heads type¡­ Wait, is that worse?¡¯ He was pulled out of his thoughts by Anasslia trying to get a marriage out of him, again.


    ¡°So, Leo. Why don''t you teach my daughter a few things about magic? She may have graduated from the academy, but I''m sure she would love a private lesson with someone so knowledgeable.¡± Anasslia remarked while nudging her daughter, who looked initially disgusted by the idea.


    He was about to call Anasslia out on her constant attempts to play matchmaker between him and her daughter, but Allis intervened. ¡°He would love to! He has already taught me so much about how the body functions, and now I can heal injuries that were normally impossible for me. I think he can share a few tips with the princess to improve her own magic.¡± She finished while gazing a little pointedly at him.


    He wanted to protest since he planned to spend the rest of the day making it up to Allis, and because Qassria seemed pretty stuck up. Unfortunately his veto power was removed at the moment, at least until she forgave his fuck up.


    ¡°I would love to, if you''re sure that you don''t need me for anything important today. I could always teach her tomorrow¡­¡± He inquired hopefully, but the amused expression on her face told him everything that he needed to know.


    Allis simply smirked at his unspoken plea, which pretty much sealed his fate. ¡°I was going to spend some time with Vipa, she''ll only be free for today before returning back to her work, and we have a lot of catching up to do.¡± She paused to turn to Elaria with a sly expression. ¡°And I imagine Elaria wants to do the same, right?¡± She prodded expectantly.


    Elaria looked between Leo and Allis, then let out an exasperated breath before settling on him with a bit of pity. ¡°Yeah, I''ll be spending the day with Sairiss, so you''re on your own.¡± She responded with an apologetic expression, but Sairiss started to radiate happiness, like she just won the lottery.


    Leo glanced back to Qassria, and she appeared to look even more unhappy about it than he was, given that her mother was glaring daggers at her.


    ¡®Since we''re both in the same boat, though for different reasons, maybe we can find some common ground...?¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Qassria


    ¡®I have nothing in common with this mutt! He should be begging me for a marriage, not the other way around!¡¯ The princess internally raged as she stood on the training field with Leo, just outside the palace.


    Qassria hated that she had to treat him as an equal, as much as she hated that he was doing the same. And while she did have mild interest in how he managed to do some of the things in his little performance the day before, she would rather continue her lessons with Cauladra, who was a much more credited and pure blooded mage.


    ¡®Cauladra would understand that this dog needed to be taught to respect their betters.¡¯ She thought assuredly, believing that her close friend and mentor would rightly agree.


    Leo cocked his head while staring at her with confusion. ¡°Um, are you fine with the cold? Because you don''t wear much with how chilly it is.¡± He questioned dumbly.


    Amusement fell over Qassria, because of course someone so low would know nothing of their betters. ¡°I am a unique and rare breed of selarin which are not affected by the cold in the slightest. It''s said that the gods themselves blessed the royal family line with this gift, and we can only produce a pure blooded selarin of our kind, no matter who we bed with.¡± She boasted while her tail swayed with pride.


    ¡°Oh, neat.¡± Was his curt response, and Qassria nearly berated the ill bred for not being awed by such an exclamation, especially after his own blatant lie about the gods speaking to him, which made her even doubt his relationship with a dragon.


    ¡®I need to keep my head, this is for the good of the kingdom. I''ll have plenty of time to train him once we''re married.¡¯ Qassria thought while she took a breath to calm herself.


    ¡°So, what''s your preferred type of magic?¡± He asked while crossing his arms.


    She straightened up to list off her mastery while her tail swayed with pride. ¡°I am an expert when it comes to ice, fire, and nature magic.¡± She remarked proudly, believing there was little else in those fields that could be taught.


    Leo arched a brow, as he was right to, with her declaration of magical prowess. ¡°I¡­don''t know much about nature magic, but show me what you can do so that I can get a baseline for your capabilities.¡±


    Qassria hated the idea of having to prove herself to the mutt, but she was going to impress him with her own magical expertise.


    Stepping forward she cast a spell to form a perfect ice sculpture of herself, the sunlight outlining every detail from her smooth scales, to the wrinkles in her clothing.


    Then she summoned fire in her general form, and the elemental danced and glided around with her, the ease and grace of its movements demonstrating her perfect control over the element.


    After that, she and the elemental took a bow before it faded away, then she pushed some mana into the ground to grow the grass into ten foot long tendrils that twisted into thick vines, before using them to snake around her statue to crush it into chunks.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Qassria turned to the mutt with a deeply smug expression, because what she demonstrated was the absolute control and elegance of a practiced royal, but her blood started to boil again by his unimpressed visage. ¡®Cauladra was right, he''s nothing but a half baked arch-mage. No proper training to even comprehend the level of skill it takes to accomplish this.¡¯ She thought bitterly, because even if he just taught her a new concept, she was sure that she would refine it to an even greater degree with her natural skill and royal lineage.


    Leo scratched his chin in visible thought before speaking. ¡°Gonna be honest, there is nothing that I''m particularly comfortable with teaching you. Most of my ideas would give you way to much power if used a certain way, and I don''t trust you enough that you won''t accidently kill yourself while handling that kind of magic.¡± He remarked with a certainty that finally pushed her over the edge.


    Qassria stormed up to him and prodded a finger into his chest, continuing to step forward while he retreated back. ¡°You low born garbage! How dare you question my competence with magic when all you have are tricks and blunt force spells! You are nothing but a peasant that was handed a weapon! You have no grace or skill, yet you lecture me on how to handle magic! You filthy, ill bred, weak blooded, mutt!¡± She stopped pushing him while ending with utter contempt for the man in front of her.


    Fear began to overtake her, because she realized what she had done, and that it had probably killed any chance at a marriage with him, but his first response caused her scowl to return.


    ¡°Wow, you really do need that belief fucked out of you¡­¡±


    ¡®No, calm down, I still can salvage this¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, the next thing out of his mouth sent her into an unstoppable rage.


    ¡°And you know... You keep calling me a mutt, but you''re the one constantly snarling at me like a bitch.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Usually Leo would have just yeeted any other stuck up person who attempted to kill him, but he couldn''t help but pity the poor woman. Even as she was flinging every spell she knew at him in a blinding frenzy and yelling every expletive under the sun.


    He was deep in thought while he was engulfed in fire, shot at with ice, constricted with vines, and had boulders thrown at him. ¡®Anasslia seemed pretty peeved about her daughter''s attitude, so maybe this is another Allis situation¡­? Though if that was the case, then she would have dropped that attitude after I made a joke out of her mother''s walking armored convoy. No, she was raised from birth with the belief that she was better than everyone else, the academy would have only cemented her view even further. Hmm¡­ I have the time to fulfill that request, but I have a feeling that Allis would be angry if I turned my punishment into a reward¡­ Guess I''ll just stand here until she tires herself out¡­¡¯


    The enraged woman finally stopped her mostly ignored onslaught after a few dozen spells, her breath a little labored from the rapid use of mana and constant screaming. ¡°So, got that out of your system?¡± He asked casually as she was hunched over, trying to reign in both her breath and emotions.


    She scowled at him with unrestrained fury still burning in her pitch black eyes, while her tail curled oddly in a stiff and rigid shape. ¡°If you didn''t have knowledge from another world, you would be kissing my heel you cur!¡± She spat with venom hanging on every word.


    A sigh escaped him as he accepted that this was what he had to endure for the rest of the day. ¡°For your information, the whole pure blood lineage thing died out on my world generations before I was even born. So if we went by your logic, then technically my entire world would be ill bred.¡± He remarked with annoyance, and the look on Qassria''s face was that of utter disgust, like he said that he came from a world of garbage.


    ¡®Gonna have to schedule the rehabilitation at some po-¡¯ The thought was cut short when he noticed the loud thunder sounding from far above him, and he looked up to see that there was a single large black cloud in an otherwise completely clear sky.


    It took only a split moment for the situation to register in his mind, and he immediately pushed out a spell around them to direct any electrical flow far away into the ground. Seconds later a lightning bolt flashed from the storm cloud toward him, but the spell made it arc a few dozen meters away from him.


    His brow was very much arched at the attack, because something like that would more than likely have killed him, since during his tests with his stun rifle he found out that the mana shield did not block electricity. ¡°The fuck?! You know how to summon lightning?¡± He asked with a genuine surprise, but saw that Qassria was just as confused as he was.


    ¡°Huh, thought you would have dodged. I may have jumped a little too early in my assessments, you''re not as half baked as I initially believed¡­¡± A voice remarked from behind, and the human turned to see an elf walking toward them.


    The woman was about five ten with snow white skin. She had long pure white hair, large and faintly blue eyes, sharp facial features, and the unnecessarily long and narrowly pointed ears. She was wearing very padded garments for the winter chill, and looked more dressed like an adventurer than a soldier or royal dignitary with her firm fitting clothing that seemed well insulated. She was also Sparsely equipped with light leather armor, a few straps for what looked like a harness, a cloak that was tucked back behind the shoulders, and a worn leather satchel.


    As the confident woman sauntered up to him, he crossed his arms with only a slightly displeased expression, because that lightning bolt definitely was from her, but he didn''t really care that much since people trying to kill him had unsettlingly become the norm. ¡°I take it that you''re the one who tried to make a lightning rod out of me?¡± He questioned pointedly while they were both sizing each other up, and he also mentally noted to now add a faraday cage spell around his mana shield.


    The woman''s gaze felt both analytical and a little hungry to Leo, which once again reminded him that he was on probation for the day. ¡°Excuse the hostel introductions, but my name is Cauladra Everstride, arch-mage to the selarin throne.¡± She paused to give him a once over again. ¡°And I would like to have something of mine back if you don''t mind.¡± She finished candidly.


    His expression fell from annoyed into confusion at the demand. ¡°Uh, and what exactly did I take?¡± He inquired a little skeptically.


    Cauladra crossed her own arms with an annoyed expression. ¡°My enchanted artifact, the large floating one that you reportedly destroyed. I know exactly what you took from it, and I want it back.¡± She accused in irritation.


    The human tried to come up with a bullshit excuse, but really didn''t have the patience for it. ¡°What do you think I took?¡± He asked a little curiously, believing that she couldn''t possibly know abou-


    ¡°The mana rune, or whatever else you took, I know you have it. I''ve been studying those runes for years in my off time, and I know for a fact that there was one in the compartment. The only reason I never removed it, is because only an idiot would do that without knowing what the rest of the runes do, especially if it uses something as powerful as a mana rune to begin with. And if you didn''t take the mana rune, then you most certainly took something even more powerful.¡± She explained harshly with narrowed eyes, studying his face for the faintest reaction at her words.


    Coughing a little awkwardly while he broke eye contact, Leo wore the worst poker face that he ever put up. ¡°I have no idea what you are referring to¡­¡± He lied blatantly before he could hear the thunder start to rumble above him again. ¡°Alright, fine! I have the mana rune, but it was forfeited the moment that bus was used to carry those bastards to Telnar.¡± He relented, not wanting to get into a fight with someone who might know of another way that could bypass or overwhelm his shield.


    Cauladra scowled and opened her mouth to no doubt argue for it back, but then her expression dropped. ¡°Bus? You know what that was called?!¡± She yelled in surprise before throwing question after question at him.


    Leo found himself backtracking as yet another woman was stepping forward to pelt him with her words, though with an entirely different attitude. ¡°How did it function? What was it used for? Was it a weapon? What other runes were in that compartment? How did it float without a levitation rune? Can you make more? Is that how your ship flies? How did the metal survive the eras? Was there nothing stronger than that rune? Why take only that one? Wait, did you take more than one? What exactly happened to the bus? Can you tell me abo-¡± Her barrage was interrupted when he cast a spell to hold her mouth shut.


    It took a moment for his thoughts to catch up from the sudden turn in situation, being a little overwhelmed by the very inquisitive elf. ¡°Okay, you need to chill and ask me one question at a time, I owe you that much for destroying it.¡± He told her before letting go of the spell.


    She looked a little bewildered before asking. ¡°What magic did you just use?¡±


    Before answering, Leo remembered who he was supposed to be chaperoning for the day, and he turned to see Qassria just passively watching them with a puzzled expression. Considering that she was more than likely spent from her small tantrum, he decided that a break was in order. He asked Cauladra if the palace had a library they could continue their conversation in, because he wanted to grab a book on the gods and check if they had a general map of the continent.


    ¡®Well, today could have been worse¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Cauladra


    Cauladra originally thought that most of the rumors regarding Leo were just that, and that even if he was an arch-mage, then he would be half baked at most. She also didn''t view him in any more of a positive light after finding out that he destroyed one of her prized artifacts. That was the reason she didn''t bother with attending the introductions the day before, because she put meeting him on a low priority compared to her usual plans for the day.


    Her interests were more aligned with studying relics from the era of progress, which brought her mind back to how her floating marvel was destroyed, and the comparison to the summon''s sudden form of travel was pretty blatant. So she cursed herself for not taking him seriously when she was finally told about the ship and how he fared against the queen''s guard.


    Even though she wanted the mana rune back, she knew that no mage in their right mind would ever give it up, but that didn''t make her any less pissed off about it. She chose to go confront him and at least attempt to demand for it back, especially if it was some other rune that he took, because she would definitely want it to study.


    When she got to the training field and saw him completely unfazed by Qassria''s magic, presumably from a seriously strong and translucent mana shield, she was curious to see what he would do against an attack that would go right through it. So she waited for him to notice the storm magic, and was going to attack if he cast something to prepare for it, or to strike at the spot after he chose to run away.


    What she did not expect was for him to deflect a lightning bolt as well as put a name to the ancient mystery artifact. With those two displays, she instantly recognized that he was a genuine potential gold mine of knowledge, and that summons might not be as over sold as she once believed.


    So seeing that her initial assumptions were way too rushed, likely because she was upset about her valuable artifact, she now found herself in the library, giddy with excitement as she waited for him to find a book on the pantheon and a map of the continent.


    Qassria finally spoke up after being unusually silent since Cauladra intervened. ¡°You do know he''s a low born right¡­? I assume mother told you, so why are you treating him like an equal?¡± She asked with confusion, and was met with confusion in response.


    Cauladra knew how passionate her student could get in regards to birth, and often tried to avoid the topic altogether whenever possible. She didn''t want to ruin the relationship over something so minor as a divergence in world view, but it seemed like she was now forced to cross that bridge.


    With a resigned sigh, she went on to explain. ¡°Uh, Qassria. I don''t place blood above magical aptitude and knowledge, in fact I believe in the opposite.¡± She answered truthfully, and Qassria was visibly taken aback by the admission.


    ¡°But, you''re an arch-mage from a line of famed and accomplished mages. You should be demanding him to give you what''s yours, and to answer whatever questions you ask, not cowing to his requests, or treating him like¡­¡± She trailed off trying to find the words, before just gesturing a hand to her. ¡°This. He is beneath you.¡± She finished with a certainty that made the elf wince.


    Between Leo''s unseen mana shield shrugging off all of Qassria''s attacks, and the deflection of a lightning bolt, something that she thought was impossible, he was by no means beneath anyone. If she had to be completely honest, her overwhelming curiosity was the only thing preventing her from out right begging him for a quick lay.


    Cauladra also wanted to admit that even as famed as her family was, most of them did originate from low birth, everyone placing magical prowess and intellect high above the notion of blood, which meant that she too fit into that category. ¡°Qassria, my family is also of the same mind. Actually, I think my grandmother married into the family from peasantry.¡± She told the visibly shocked selarin, who seemed panicked for a moment before running off when she moved a hand to comfort her.


    The arch-mage felt a sharp pain in her chest at the reaction, and she knew that whatever relationship she had with Qassria might have been ruined, since with her deep seeded beliefs she might have felt betrayed by the confession.


    And now She would need to have a talk with Anasslia, because this was one lesson that she had been reluctant to teach.


    ¡®But putting it off for so long might have made it worse...¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo saw that the princess had gone missing when he returned to the table, and after asking Cauladra about it, she said that they left to deal with something private. He was initially going to go get her or see what was up, because he didn''t want to get into trouble with Allis, but Cauladra stopped him and insisted that it wasn''t something that he should interrupt.


    Remembering the last time he tried to pry into something personal, he simply sat back down and unrolled the map he found, which showed the size of the continent and general racial territories, though it was not at all detailed and probably out of date.


    ¡®Guess I lucked out, now lets see what we have he-[MAP]...Oh¡­ I now see why the Elven and Dwarven kingdoms are so...Strong¡­ Christ, they''re both massive¡­ Even though these are general border outlines for the races, it''s still overwhelming. God, I wonder how many smaller kingdoms are actually within those borders, and all having their own kind of fucked politics.¡¯ He mentally complained at the thought of having to go and deal with every kingdom.


    As his eyes wandered over the map, he cocked his head at a few of the names he recognized. Yggdrasil''s in the middle of the dryads, sounds about right¡­ Wait, Faun? Weren''t those goat people in Greek mythology? Oni, that was a demon orc thing in Japanese folklore and a staple monster girl in anime, interested to see what they''re like. Ah, and there''s the Arachne right next to the dragons¡­ No, stop it brain¡­ The beast clans look like the largest out of all of them, though that''s probably just a broad stroke over the entire north. And speaking of broad strokes, the waste land is just as massive, but no real kingdoms are out there, except for whatever the Sha are.¡¯


    He started to play one hundred questions with Cauladra while he continued to study the map, answering things about the bus, his magic, and earth. He also learned the proper name for this world was Sinum, but it was strange that not many people cared to use it, and that there was no real name for the continent, but that was most likely because it was a pangea.


    He also made a note to look up a few of the smaller territories, because he noticed that the merchants guild had their own, and if the rest had some kind of influence on the other kingdoms too, then he wanted to explore his options for when he inevitably did cross them.


    Setting the map to the side, he opened up the book on the pantheon.


    ¡®The gods were holy¡­ Bla bla bla bl- ¡­?¡¯


    [ ...the explosion was immense, causing the pantheon to ascend to their divine seats¡­ ]


    ¡®Explosions are not usually a good thing for those on the receiving end¡­¡¯


    [ ...The first seat on the pantheon is held by Mikhail, who became the leader of the pantheon following the war in heaven. His duty is to guide and oversee the rest of the pantheon, and to maintain their compassion for their precious world¡­ ]


    ¡®Probably the one that told me to go to the temple¡­¡¯


    [ ...Eugene, in charge of the creation of wildlife, deity of nature his ho-¡­ ]


    ¡®Most of this world has been following a pretty generic naming scheme, so the fuck kind of god name is ''Eugene''¡­?¡¯


    [ ...James the god of weather and keeper of the skies, his divi-... ]


    ¡®...James?¡¯ Was Leo''s trailing thought as he started to quickly flip to each god to read their names.


    [ ...lord of the deep earth, Robert¡­ ]


    [ ...mother of life, Elsie¡­ ]


    [ ...guardian of nature, Lee¡­ ]


    [ ...Jack reigns over the domain of chaos¡­ ]


    [ ...Sara, god of fertility¡­ ]


    [ ...keeper of history, Mawusi¡­ ]


    [ ...Chad, lord of truth, confidence, and festivities¡­ ]


    He had to do a double take on that last one.


    [ ...protector of the heavens, Astrid¡­ ]


    [ ...father of magic, Ezekiel¡­ ]


    Leo sharply closed the book, and even though it seemed very unlikely, his mind was stuck on a single link in the names that he couldn''t shake, especially given how they acted.


    ¡°Human¡­¡±


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 53

    _________________________________________


    Qassria


    Anger, confusion, betrayal, these were the things that filled the young woman while she threw objects and flung the occasional icicle into the wall.


    Qassria didn''t know what to think when Cauladra, her mentor for the past three years since graduating from the academy, admitted that her family was so accepting of partnering with lowborn. She looked up to arch-mage, because she thought she was strong, brave, elegant, and the most intelligent woman she''d ever known, everything that someone of pure blood would be, but when she said that she herself was the product of such a diluted blood line, the princess fled in a panic.


    Cauladra''s family, the Everstrides, were well known for finding ancient ruins and uncovering powerful magical artifacts, along with being exceedingly adept in magic. It''s said that some members were even distant relatives of the Elven royal line, which is why it was unthinkable to Qassria that there would be any impurity. She couldn''t imagine a race as large and powerful as the elves tolerating any dissent in blood.


    Fury burned within Qassria, because Cauladra knew how much lineage meant to her, and she felt betrayed that she kept that part hidden from her. But she was also deeply confused and conflicted, because she still thought of Cauladra as a true friend and mentor, something that a royal should never call a mu-


    ¡°Gods damn it!¡± She screamed in a frustrated rage, because the word itself made her ill to even associate it with someone like her teacher.


    Qassria continued to scream in anger until at some point she found herself laying on her bed, crying herself late into the night.


    _________________________________________


    Cauladra


    The rest of the day had slipped by as Cauladra was questioning Leo in the library. She found that her desire to pull as much out of him only reached its peak when he finally finished his research on the pantheon, which made her disappointed when he said he was going to turn in for the night.


    ¡®A Magicless world, wondrous creations, and knowledge avail- No, focus! I need to start sorting out the problem I''ve created with my student. I can contemplate all of that later.¡¯ She shook off her deep thoughts upon reaching the queen''s chambers.


    After being permitted to enter, she saw that Anasslia was wearing a smug expression as she sat in her small study at the corner of the room. Unlike most royalty, Anasslia didn''t care much for over decadence or any kind of lavish decor, something that they both had in common, as those things always got in the way of more important work. So it''s no wonder that Anasslia''s chambers were sparse when it came to open space, because she made sure that all of her important documents, weapons, and other miscellaneous items that she might need were close at hand.


    Her expression was grim as she took a seat in front of Anasslia''s desk. ¡°Yes, yes, you were right. He is definitely the most valuable thing that I''ve ever come across, but that''s not why I came to talk to you.¡± She told her before explaining the situation with Qassria.


    Anasslia looked beyond irritated, but there was a softness in her eyes. ¡°I wish that I spent more time with her, and to have instructed her myself instead of letting a bunch of tutors fill her head with all that nonsense¡­ I was self taught, that''s why I chose to trust in the judgment of other intellectuals, a mistake that I repeated when I sent her to that gods forsaken academy.¡± She paused, her gaze growing distant as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°And my mother was never one for valuing intellect over political backstabbing, it''s why she eventually found a knife in hers¡­¡± She finished with a sigh.


    Cauladra grimaced, knowing that she too was partly to blame, because she actively put off trying to reign in that belief. ¡°Then what do you recommend we do about her little issue? Because I''m at a loss at where I should even start¡­¡± She inquired while slumping in her chair, because her expertise was on the magical, not changing someone''s entire world view.


    The selarin royal casually traced her tail on the desk in thought before answering. ¡°Technically we already have¡­ I''ve tried talking to her about it, but it''s like speaking to a wall. The only other option is to just shatter that perception, and between you and Leo, I''d say that it''s been a little more than cracked.¡±


    The elf thought back to the walking wealth of barely tapped knowledge, and considered that she may have made a mistake in stopping him from going to look for her. While she might have only made things worse, he could have further broken those beliefs.


    ¡°Then I''ll see if he would like to help with her in the morning, hopefully he has some experience with her type. Anyway, you said that you wanted to talk to me about something else in private?¡± Cauladra questioned as she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her long ears, and Anasslia''s face grew exceedingly dark in response.


    ¡°Ah yes, how could I forget something so important¡­ Tell me, what would the elves do if the dragons were ever deemed a threat?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Qassria


    Qassria woke up the next morning feeling miserable, like her stomach was tied in knots from the torrent of emotions from the night before. She stepped into a small puddle of water when dragging herself out of bed, and glancing over her room only made the frown on her face even more pronounced. Her mood felt bitter, and she wanted something to blame for her plight, something to direct all her negative feelings towards.


    She remembered the multiple talks that her mother used to have with her, regarding her belief in blood lines, but they always ended in deadlocks.


    And why wouldn''t they?


    Her mother was just a single person with a view that she believed was fundamentally incorrect, because everything else pointed to her own being the correct one. She was a rare type of selarin that was born a royal, and the nobility and powerful families ruled over those who were lower for generations. Even the powerful dragons were noble guardians for the world''s kingdoms.


    But now, the nobility was eroding away without so much as a care from the other kingdoms, the dragons are traitorous scum who are secretly oppressing everyone, and an ill bred has every kingdom begging for his audience.


    Her mind wouldn''t take it, since every single thing seemed to start falling apart ever since-


    ¡°Him¡­¡± She breathed out as her temper started to rise once more.


    The mutt from another world, a world that was entirely diluted. Everything started when he arrived, and even though she was overjoyed that the throne would gain complete control over Selaria, she hated that he seemed to ruin everything else that had been a well and right established norm. But was it right? Because she could never treat Cauladra on the same plane as Leo.


    ¡®But wait, she''s not! Even though Cauladra is not entirely¡­perfect¡­ She can still be linked back to Elven royalty, a line stronger and way more powerful than any of the other races, especially when they''ve existed since the first era. So she still holds some true seniority over me, and more importantly that mutt.¡¯ She rationalized as some semblance of her world started to fit back together, and she began to feel guilty that she ever thought of her beloved teacher in that way, but it soon developed into a scowl as her thoughts drifted back to the true ill bred.


    Not feeling like seeing anyone for the day, she resigned to wrap herself up in her sheets while she simmered in anger toward a single person.


    ¡®Mutt...¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo had woken up with Allis and Elaria still sound asleep on either side of him, Allis having forgiven him after she heard about him having to put up with Qassria''s small tantrum. He avoided telling her about possibly almost dying to a lightning bolt though, because he''d rather not make her feel worse about it after seeing her hood droop quite a bit at the news.


    Cauladra was most likely just testing him, somewhat understandable when she was watching him ignore pretty destructive magic being thrown at him anyway. The incident also taught him that even with all of his power, death was still very much on the table, especially after learning what a Shattered was in the library.


    While begrudgingly reading the book more thoroughly, because of his deep suspicion about the pantheon''s origins, he found out that a shattered was a fallen god. What frightened him about the shattered was that the book said they were devoid of Ezekiel''s gift, unaffected by magic, and could rip dragons apart with no effort. Thankfully there were only two of the things, both from the gods who fell during the era of the minor god conflict.


    He flew his journal over to him to go over his notes, not wanting to disturb the two sleeping beauties as he tried to make sense of magic and its origin. ¡®¡­ If the gods are human, then that explosion was more than likely some science experiment gone wrong¡­ Or right¡­? I don''t see much of a down side with becoming a god, besides it going to your head. It also explains some of the generic fantasy tropes I''ve come across if they are the people shaping this world¡­ But what''s with the fucked ratio¡­? Well besides that, the main question is, what were they fucking with? Exotic energy? Quantum particles? The fabric of reality itself? And what do they want to talk to me abo-¡¯ Allis shifting around interrupted his thoughts, her body coiling firmly around his legs as she pressed against him.


    Leo turned his head to regard her with a smile. ¡°Morning, sleep well?¡± He whispered, unsure if Elaria was still sleeping.


    Allis smiled as she looked at him with her light brown eyes, before narrowing with irritation at the book in his hand. ¡°Why can''t you just take a day off and do nothing¡­?¡± She criticized while tightly cuddling to his arm.


    The comment made him a little self conscious as he felt Elaria also hug tighter to his other side. ¡°I second that¡­¡± She paused to yawn. ¡°Because it seems like all you do is plan, work, and fuck¡­¡± She agreed while snuggling closer.


    He raised an eyebrow at the remark. ¡°I think that last one counts as a major stress relief.¡± He pointed out with a chuckle.


    Allis scoffed, and glided a cool scaled hand across his chest. ¡°Not with how often you do it. I''m fairly sure that half of your workout routine is making a mess out of the nearest eager woman.¡± She paused as her eyes started to fill with desire. ¡°Which reminds me, you have missed quite a few days. Care to make up for lost time?¡± She finished as she rolled over on top of him.


    Sending his journal back to his satchel, Leo brought her into a kiss, but the intimate moment was ruined by a knock on the door.


    Allis broke the kiss and her eyes darted between him and the door. ¡°No.¡± She spat before going back in for a kiss.


    The knocking continued. ¡°Hello Leo, are you there? I need your help with something important.¡± Cauladra called from the other side, and Leo groaned as he let his head fall back into the pillow.


    The serpentine tried to coil tighter around him, but he effortlessly slipped right out with a frictionless spell. ¡°You better come right back here after you''re done.¡± She warned in a huff, as if he wanted to do otherwise.


    The elven woman''s eyes widened immensely after he opened the door, causing him to look down and realize that he was only in his boxers. ¡°Hey, eyes up here.¡± He prodded in mock irritation with a snap of his fingers, but was otherwise greatly amused by the situation.


    Cauladra flushed as she regained some composure, but her eyes continued to wander unrestrained. ¡°Um, yes, Anasslia and myself need your help regarding Qassria and her ideals, and it''s best that it gets done today before any more issues arise...¡± She trailed off while licking her lips, her eyes now focused on a particular area of his body.


    A playful idea crossed his mind. ¡°Give me a minute to get dressed.¡± He paused, and stepped in close to whisper. ¡°And maybe later I can give you a private lesson on human endurance.¡± He proposed before stepping back from the red faced and stuttering elf, drawing out a chuckle from him as he slowly closed the door.


    ¡®Still going to ask the gods about that fucked ratio, but damn if it''s not entertaining.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Anasslia


    Anasslia was very upset with the situation in general while Leo and Cauladra told her about her daughter''s actions, as well as the fit that she threw on the training field the day before. She feared that her daughter might have ruined any chance at a marriage with all that they pulled, but his willingness to help did still spark a bit of hope.


    ¡®Maybe I can salvage this, but I just need one bit of information first.¡¯


    Anasslia regarded Leo with a serious expression. ¡°Why exactly do you wish to help my daughter? She''s been nothing but rude, demeaning, and even tried to kill you.¡± She hopefully believed that maybe it was because he was interested.


    The powerful summon shrugged, seemingly unfazed by the question. ¡°She needs help, and so do you guys by the look of it. I''m not going to walk away from those in need.¡±


    Anasslia stared unbelievingly at him, her eyes searching his for the faintest hint of deception. ¡°That''s it?¡± She questioned with overwhelming skepticism, and he gave another shrug in response.


    ¡®Sairiss was right, he is a bleeding heart. The only reason I got rid of the slaves from the palace was at her insistence, and after the talks I can see why that could have soured relations greatly if I hadn''t. Well, it''s not like the practice is really all that great to begin with. Convenient? Yes. But it doesn''t make a kingdom strong as a whole when people are permanently kept in servitude.¡¯ She thought while making a mental note about the human''s kindness for later, internally smiling as she focused on the opportunity before her.


    ¡°The blunt force method is working if that was her reaction, but it sounds like she''s in a delicate situation right now, so I recommend only one of you go talk to her.¡± The queen paused to glance at Cauladra with a knowing look, and the elf narrowed her eyes. ¡°Leo, would you care to assist her out of that irrational state?¡± She ended with a slight plea to her voice.


    Leo looked visibly unsure as he glanced between the two. ¡°Are you sure? I mean she seems to really hate my guts, wouldn''t Cauladra be better? At least they know each other.¡±


    Anasslia knew he was right, but that didn''t mean that he would fail, and she was betting that it wouldn''t. ¡°I''ve tried talking things out with her for years, and this is the most progress that she''s made, well, ever. You are the source of her turmoil, and maybe confronting you can finally cause her to overcome that storm¡±


    The man sighed as he stretched out his arms, causing both women''s eyes to wander. ¡°Alright¡­ I thought that I wasn''t going to be this involved, but I''ll go¡­ Any tips or things that I should know?¡± He asked while standing up from his seat on the couch, and both women''s eyes took in as much as they could before one of them commented.


    ¡°Maybe put on a shirt¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo went to go talk with Qassria after getting properly dressed, and informing Allis and Elaria of the situation. Allis was disappointed, but she knew what that mindset was like and wished him luck. Although, there was a stark difference in that Allis wasn''t born into that life, so it was going to be a lot harder for him to unwind that ball of fucked.


    Opening the door to Qassria''s chambers, he froze, blinking a few times as he surveyed the partially destroyed room. Puddles of water littered the floor, fist sized holes dotted the walls and furniture, and scorch marks peppered virtually everywhere. He continued to gawk at the damage until his eyes fell on the bed, seeing that Qassria was balled up in the sheets.


    Taking a single step forward, he was met with an icicle to the face. ¡°Get out!¡± She screeched before mouthing a few words to make more floating spikes of ice, which he continued to ignore on his way to the bed, the shield he prepped effortlessly shrugging off the barrage being flung at him.


    ¡°Sorry, but you need one hell of an intervention, so we''re going to talk this out like adults.¡± He remarked before sitting on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°I have nothing to say to low born trash, your only purpose is to serve, and you can''t even do that!¡± She yelled in an impudent rage.


    Leo cocked his head at that, since Cauladra told her the reason for her running off in the first place was due to her own lineage. ¡°If you truly believe that every person should serve their betters, based entirely on how pure their blood is, then what about Cauladra?¡±


    The princess''s head shot out of the sheets, her face twisted in anger. ¡°Don''t you speak her name filth, she is connected to the purest, strongest, and oldest race''s bloodline to exist, while you come from a world of lowborn trash! You and all those like you should be subservient to us, not trying to accommodate you! Mutt! You exist to serve us!¡± Her beratement was met with a blank stare, Leo being amazed at the number of hoops that she managed to jump through to get to that conclusion.


    ¡®Damn. This is the kind of deep ceded belief that takes divine intervention to-¡¯ He suddenly thought of a way to kill two birds with one stone, and quickly used his magic to roll the princess up completely in her blankets.


    ¡°Let me go you- mhmf!¡±


    Her mouth was also shut with magic as he flung her out the window, before jumping out himself to go fly across the city.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Hey chuckle fucks! This woman is in desperate need of a reality check and I need your help explaining it to her, so I''m on my way!¡±


    _________________________________________


    Cauladra


    Cauladra was angry that Anasslia prioritized Leo being with her daughter over her actually getting help. ¡°Anasslia, that was the wrong choice and you know it. Why are you still stuck on getting a marriage out of him, when he is obviously against the dragons as well? He''s going to help you regardless.¡± She accused bitterly.


    The selarin queen stopped going over her documents to give her friend a harsh stare. ¡°Please tell me that my daughter''s idiocy hasn''t rubbed off on you¡­¡± She remarked caustically, and Cauladra scowled in response.


    Anasslia set down her documents with a sigh. ¡°He is a summon, and what''s more, he is a mortal with god level magic. Pursuing a marriage is the most logical thing to do, I thought that you of all people could discern that.¡± She answered pointedly.


    It took a bit of effort to not sneer at the comment, because this was still the queen that she was talking to. ¡°And so are minor gods to some extent, but why him? What''s your other motive?¡±


    The question made Anasslia glare daggers at her, and her tail twitched with annoyance. ¡°None of your business, much like what goes on in my family. Now if you''re done, I have to finish writing these letters.¡± She remarked as if it was a threat, and Cauladra stormed off before she said something that she would regret.


    The arch-mage considered Anasslia a friend, at least when it came to anything that woman didn''t want to use to further her own power. She had many arguments with the queen in the past about using her artifacts as bargaining chips, trying to bribe nobility for more authority or to use them as weapons against potential opposition. She had overlooked such behavior as just a byproduct of their situation, but using their own daughter like that was the last straw.


    ¡®Damn power hungry royals! I''m dropping my contract after Qassria is helped! I''m sick of her twisting things into a weapon for her to use! I should tell Leo abou-¡¯


    The thought cut short, and her face flushed when a certain image of him flashed across her mind.


    ¡°I wonder if Telnar is in need of another arch-mage?¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    After flying for a few minutes over the area of the city that Cauladra told him about, Leo spotted a brick building with twelve large pillars out front.


    ¡®Yup, that''d be it.¡¯ He thought before landing in front with his unwilling companion.


    When he let go of the spell restricting Qassria, he was assaulted with insult after insult, and he resorted to shutting her up again to get a word in. ¡°You hate me, I get it! But if you stay calm on this little trip, then I promise that I''ll leave you alone for my entire stay at the capital, deal?¡± He offered with an outstretched hand.


    The selarin narrowed her pitch black eyes at him, before sneering when she took his hand to shake, and he released the spell with a smile. ¡°See? Not so hard. To be honest I don''t know why you''re this mad at me to begin with.¡± He stated with a genuine loss as to the reason.


    ¡°You abducted me in my nightgown, you mutt.¡± Qassria retorted hatefully while she wrapped the bed sheet around her to better move around in.


    The comment made him feel like a massive asshole. ¡°Ah, uh¡­ Sorry?¡± He apologized weakly, which only seemed to piss her off even more.


    Pushing down that feeling, he led her into the city''s temple, and the interior was one large empty hall with pillars on each side. The hall led straight to a large door at the far end, but before they could continue on they were stopped by a selarin dressed in white robes, slightly adorned like they were from a certain videogame.


    ¡°Welcome, your grace, and vaunted summon Leo. What brings you to the temple?¡± She addressed the two, which unsettled him with their vaguely sisterhood getup.


    ¡°I''m here to speak with the pantheon.¡± He answered, and Qassria scoffed.


    ¡°Ah, that explains why the seats have occasionally lit up these past few days. Apologies, but we will have to get Thorin''s permission to use the chambers¡­ He is the resident minor god...¡± She ended with a sour tone before the both of them were led down a smaller corridor into a large room.


    Leo''s senses were assailed by an overwhelming stench of alcohol as they entered a large chamber, and he couldn''t help but gawk for a moment at the stacks of kegs that lined the walls. Small puddles formed everywhere as the barrels were cracked open, what was left of their contents spilling onto the floor. In the middle of the room was a long table with piles of empty bottles all around it, and a dozed off dwarf that smelled like the direct source of all the liquid poison in the room.


    ¡®Well¡­ This will be interesting¡­¡¯ He thought as he and the princess carefully stepped over the discarded bottles and pools of wasted drink.


    The priestess picked up a bottle, walked around the table, and bashed it against the man''s head. ¡°Fuckin hell woman! I have enough of a headache already!¡± He shouted in pain while he rubbed the back of his head.


    The Dwarf was four feet tall, very bulky, had a long bushy orange beard, was completely bald, and had light brown eyes. Unlike the dwarves he''d seen before, this one was a lot hairier, and very unkempt. His clothing was just a simple dress shirt with slacks, which seemed very out of place with the medieval fantasy clothing that the human had seen up until this point.


    Tossing the shattered bottle hilt, the priestess gestured a hand to the dwarf. ¡°May I shamefully introduce Thorin Redcloak.¡±


    ¡°Aye, and fuck you too. Now what''s this all abo-¡± Thorin''s words cut short as he squinted at Leo, then looked back to the priestess. ¡°Oi, either you hit me harder than I care to admit, or I need to take a day to detox. Because this funny looking dryad almost looks like a human.¡± He remarked with a deep bellied laugh.


    ¡°Uh, actually I am.¡± Leo corrected, and Thorin''s jovial attitude slowly fell away as he looked more carefully at him.


    Awkward silence accompanied the near horrified expression that the dwarf wore while staring directly at the human.


    ¡°Nope.¡± The little bald man said before getting out of his chair and casually heading for the door.


    The priestess nearly tripped over a bottle to block his way. ¡°Where do you think you''re going? You need to do your duty.¡± She scolded the man, who looked completely unfazed.


    ¡°Duty!? Listen here lass, my duty ended the moment that god forsaken thing entered this temple. Now if you''ll excuse me, I''m going to find a nice rock to hide under for the next era or two.¡± He paused to look back at Leo. ¡°Unless it decides to blow that up too.¡± He finished while attempting to walk around the selarin.


    The priestess stepped in front of him, and Leo felt a bit of magic before she was lifted into the air. ¡°Well I hear by name you head of this temple, do whatever the hell you wa- NO!¡± Thorin yelled as his head swiveled around at something he could only see.


    ¡°Of course all of you fuckers are here! - No I will not! - Don''t you dare threaten my alcohol! - Go fuck yourself Eugene, I got enough of your shit during the second era! - Gah, fine!¡± Thorin''s conversation with the pantheon ended as he turned to Leo with a look of complete dejection. ¡°Follow me¡­¡± He said in a dead tone.


    ¡®I have so many questions¡­¡¯


    Thorin led them all back out into the hall and toward the large doors at the end of the main hall, and he lazily raised a hand to open the very heavy looking doors with magic.


    ¡®Well that confirms it, he definitely knows what gravity is and how to use it.¡¯ He mentally noted to avoid getting into a fight with a minor god.


    When they all entered the massive circular chamber, Leo saw that twelve large metal thrones with each of the pantheon''s names were engraved into the base. Lights floated above eleven of the seats as they surrounded a thick glass box that had hundreds of runes all over the bottom of it.


    ¡°One at a time please. The damn thing is finicky about multiple people using it.¡± Thorin remarked with a grumble.


    Leo glanced at Qassria, whose gaze was fixed on the lights above the seats before she turned to meet his eyes. ¡°You¡­ You weren''t lying¡­¡± She trailed off disbelievingly.


    ¡°Eh, don''t blame you for thinking I did, it''s why I didn''t tell you that the gods are probably human.¡± Leo remarked to the visible shock of both her and the priestess, while Thorin facepalmed, hard.


    The summon furrowed his brow at the minor god''s and priestess''s reaction. ¡®Wait, does the church not know?¡¯ Was his last thought as the glass door slid shut behind him.


    The glass started to glow faintly, and misty blue figures appeared on nearly all of the thrones.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Hi?¡± Leo greeted hesitantly, because they were all just staring at him in silence.


    Jack started laughing : A promise that lasted five whole eras, ruined in less than five seconds. Fucking beautiful!


    Everyone else sighed and groaned as Jack''s form nearly fell out of his seat.


    Eugene : Any chance that you can contain this Astrid?


    Astrid : She left the moment the door to the box closed... I could ask Thorin to stop her, but we''re on his shit list at the moment so I don''t think he gives any fucks about it.


    Mawusi : For context Leo, you just fucked up a deal we made with the last guy to keep most of the races from worshiping humans. He really hated that it was happening, but ironically the race that he liberated started worshiping him after he died.


    Eugene : Well it''s technically wrong, since we''re not human anymore.


    Elsie : Just because you''re all edgy about losing your humanity, doesn''t mean the rest of us have given up on it.


    Mikhail : You two start again and I''m muting you both.


    Eugene : Bitch.


    Elsie : Cuck.


    Mikhail : Anyway! You probably have a lot of questions, so let''s get that out of the way before we get to why we wanted to talk with you.


    ¡°Okay, you pretty much answered my human question¡­ So what''s mana?¡±


    Eugene : Nope, next question.


    Chad : Come on, there shouldn''t be that much harm in telling him. I mean we told the last guy, and this one seems pretty chill.


    ¡®Oh¡­?¡¯


    Eugene : We told him so he could help us close a demonic hell portal that led to another dimension.


    Robert : Well he could help us too¡­


    James : I don''t know¡­ I still get second era flash backs¡­


    Mikhail : Lets just put all his questions to a vote and move on.


    Lee : What about Ezekiel?


    Mawusi shrugged : Probably worked out when he needs to show up, or not. He''s in the middle of magical maintenance.


    A moment later seven of the lights above the thrones shined red, while the others turned green.


    Mawusi : See.


    Chad : Tuff luck little man¡­


    ¡®This is so dumb¡­¡¯ Leo thought irritably.


    ¡°Mind telling me how you all fucked up and turned yourselves into blueberry flavored vape?¡±


    All the lights instantly turned red.


    ¡°Do you know what started the whole cold war that''s going on between the dwarves and elves?


    Eight of the lights turned red.


    Chad : Too bad little man, not that we were entirely sure on the how''s anyway.


    ¡®Not omnipotent then, good to know.¡¯


    ¡°Did any of the eras reach the level of space travel?¡±


    Ten of the lights turned green.


    Mikhail : Yup, the era of progress. Didn''t make it out of the system though, but was nearly there¡­


    Astrid : Sad too, nearly made it pass the-


    *Static noise*


    Mikhail : Sorry Astrid, didn''t vote on that.


    Astrid : My bad.


    ¡®So something''s out there in space, possibly confining them to the system¡­ Wait.¡¯


    ¡°What was the level of space travel of humanity when you were all human?¡±


    All of the lights went red.


    ¡°Thanks for the confirmation, I''m guessing that you''re definitely above faster than light.¡±


    Jack : Ha! Sly bastard!


    Mikhail : Pull that again and we''re done answering questions. Got it?


    ¡°Crystal. So what''s with the whole fucked sex ratios?¡±


    All the lights went green.


    Mikhail : Sara, Elsie?


    Elsie : Men would spend more time fucking.


    Sara : Yup, we get really bored, and frustrated. We¡­just like to watch¡­


    ¡®Something tells me that I''m going to have two very attentive spectators from now on...¡¯


    ¡°Fair enough¡­ But then why give men low stamina? Seems counter intuitive..¡±


    Both Sara and Elsie grumbled as their forms turned to Eugene, and all the lights turned green.


    Eugene : They lost a bet. And even though Sara is the goddess of fertility, I decide the rates of the races.


    Sara : Dick¡­


    Eugene : Hey, I''ll stop when you all stop making every race a fantasy trope with tits.


    Elsie : Dick...


    ¡°Huh¡­ So what exactly is a Shattered?¡±


    This time they took a while to vote on it, and eight of the lights turned green.


    Mikhail : Mawusi?


    Mawusi sighed : During the second era we were very¡­ Open with our knowledge. This led to a revolt, and at some point two of us decided to force themselves to materialize. The mana became very unstable, and resulted in something truly horrific...


    James : We really recommend that you avoid those things. No spells work on them at all. Trust us, we put one of the damn things in a black hole for a week.


    Robert : Ah speaking of permanent objects, stop dematerializing things! That dust that gets left over isn''t just dust! It''s matter, and before you ask what kind, we don''t know. The stuff is pretty much indestructible and is unaffected by everything once created. Can''t burn, crush, vaporize, freeze, or even make it a solid. I''m also pretty sure that it doesn''t decay at all, which means it will outlast the universe. So please stop doing that.


    ¡®Oh¡­ I was making the worst litter in existence¡­¡¯


    ¡°Will do, or won''t¡­ Well, that''s all the important questions that I wanted to ask. I would question your morals with the state of the world, but with how long you''ve been around, that sort of explains itself.¡±


    Mikhail : Okay then, I guess I''ll open up the floor for everyone else.


    Leo spent a while answering questions about himself and the time period he was from. They were interested in the differences in history, like how their world war two took three bombs to get japan to surrender, and how they switched from fossil fuels to renewable around the eighties. They also said that if their timelines were so similar, then possible faster than light travel would have been worked out only a few decades after the discovery of a few rare minerals on the moon.


    Mikhail : Well if that''s the last question, then I would like to discuss why we wanted to see you. The truth is that we did fuck up an experiment, and we''re stuck like this. Now most of us wouldn''t care about our current situation, but we need a favor from you. And we won''t say any more about it until you agr-


    ¡°Nope, don''t like cryptic bullshit. You either tell me up front or don''t bother asking.¡±


    A green light appeared above Mikhail, but every other light became red.


    Eugene : Not happening.


    Chad : Sorry bro, got left high and dry too many times.


    Sara : Let go of the first human I get to watch in hundreds of thousands of years? Nope.


    Elsie : I''m with Sara.


    Mawusi : Don''t want a repeat of history.


    Robert : The last guy royally fucked the tectonics¡­


    James : And punched an annoyingly large hole in the ozone.


    Lee : Agree with James and Rob, though I''m more interested in his romance.


    Jack : He''s bound to do some more funny shit, not passing that up on a wish and a prayer.


    Astrid : Want to see some warfare with guns again. I''m sick of the magical setting we''re stuck in.


    Mikhail : Seriously!? We might not get another chance, and you''re all sticking with that!?


    Eugene : Ezekiel said he''d be done in another half a million years. So I don''t care either way, it''s just the telling him everything part that I have a problem with.


    Mikhail : You know what, I''m done! Moderate yourselves!


    Mikhail''s form disappeared, and a moment later nearly everyone else left until only two remained.


    Sara : We''d like to speak with your little friend outside if you don''t mind.


    Elsie : Yeah, just send her in and we''ll set her straight for you.


    ¡®Qassria! I almost forgot about her!¡¯ Leo stepped out of the box and quickly pushed Qassria in, and Thorin walked up to him with a disappointed expression just as the door closed.


    ¡°You do realize who you sent her in there to talk to¡­ Right?¡± The dwarf pointed out a little too late, and Leo could just watch as Qassria went through multiple levels of shock over the course of half an hour, before she became completely flushed red when the two remaining lights disappeared.


    Qassria stepped out of the box, looked at Leo with deep apprehension, appeared to steel herself, then finally stomped toward him with a look of determination. ¡°Mutt, I am going to fuck you.¡± She stated with a certainty that made his jaw drop.


    ¡®They''re worse than Elaria!¡¯


    _________________________________________

 Chapter 54

    _________________________________________


    Qassria


    Qassria''s world no longer made sense, because the gods had chosen to tell her the general truth of their origins, and how they were once the same race as Leo before their ascension. That revelation prompted her to ask if he was a demigod, and if she had been insulting one this entire time, but they both went on to explain how they weren''t gods, and that gods don''t actually exist.


    They don''t know everything, they don''t control everything, and they are not guiding every specific person''s fate. They were essentially the same as Leo, not at all that important until they were suddenly given so much power by complete accident.


    They also went on to explain that her entire type of selarin was just based on a human myth about snow snakes, and that bloodlines meant nothing to them when they created the races. In fact, they brutally told her that the concept was just a byproduct of their technological level, and at some point it would eventually die out.


    By the end of the discussion, Qassria''s beliefs felt like nothing, and she didn''t know what to do or what to think anymore.


    Sara : You''re probably going through one hell of an internal crisis right now, and you likely don''t know what you should believe or aspire to anymore.


    Elsie : And it''s gonna suck for a while as you figure out your new purpose in life.


    Sara : But, we know of something that will make you feel a whole lot better!


    Qassria flushed as the two told her what human males were capable of, and that if she wanted to relieve some stress, then Leo was the best and quickest way.


    The two left right after making her promise to not talk to anyone about what they discussed, and she stepped out with just a single thing she wanted to do, because she needed something to take her mind off of the fact that her whole world was pulled out from under her.


    So with her new found clarity, she walked up to Leo with determination, and even though the word had lost its meaning, she was still going to use it until he made good on the promise he made to her mother.


    ¡°Mutt, I''m going to fuck you.¡±


    _________________________________________


    Leo


    Leo had a whole host of things on his mind while he was flying back to the palace with Qassria in tow.


    For one, the confirmation of everything being the product of science put some sense of realism back underneath his feet, but he was a little pissed off when they held out on telling him what mana was. And if the gods wouldn''t tell him what mana was, then he had to find out on his own, and there were probably two places that he could go to do just that.


    The Archive made by the last summon, because Chad let slip that they had told him, and the waste lands, because of that page in the book on mana. ¡°I know where I''m going for diplomatic relations next.¡± He muttered the thought aloud.


    He felt Qassria''s tail coil around his leg while they started to close in on the palace, which reminded him of the here and now. ¡®Talking to her didn''t work, showing off my magic didn''t work, and now the gods told her something that was entirely for their own benefit, because of course they would!¡¯


    The princess had been talking with the two gods for about half an hour, and only looked embarrassed at the end. He hoped that they at least set her straight, but she refused to tell him anything that they told her. Therefore the only real option he had left was Anasslia''s, but he highly doubted that his dick was going to be a life-changing solution.


    ¡®And damn it! I can feel them watching!¡¯ He thought irritably while they flew around the palace to return to her room.


    ¡®I wonder what Fel is up to right now¡­¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Fel


    Completely and utterly bored was what Fel had been since Leo had left. While he was gone, she had spent the first day making sure the sentries were properly deployed, but everything after was spent doing nothing while sitting in the mansion with Glia. They both had had some fun nights together, but during the day was what Glia aptly dubbed, grass duty.


    Fel was the strongest creature in Telnar at the moment, so it was on her to keep Leo''s seat warm while he was away, at least until they were both sure that the sentries could handle themselves.


    Laid out on the couch with half lidded eyes, she watched Glia as they sat across from her and messed with the runes on her wooden legs. ¡°This is so boring...¡± She groaned.


    Glia tapped a few runes in a small compartment in her leg. ¡°That''s guard duty, and boring''s good, it means that things aren''t going to shit.¡± She closed the compartment to stretch out the wooden appendage. ¡°Well, until it does.¡± She finished with an amused snicker.


    The dragoness sighed while she picked at her horn. ¡°I guess you''re right¡­ It just feels like things are moving when Leo is around. I mean, I could help out with construction on the fortress, but it''s not like we need it at the moment, and he said he was going to enchant it to be able to defend against an army of dragons. So my help there isn''t worth much...¡± She trailed off a little dejectedly, because she wanted something worth doing to pass the time.


    The selarin crossed her arms and gave her a critical look. ¡°A dragon is no help? Fel, do you know how prosperous Telnar is right now? Remember that most people still think that you''re responsible for everything, so your presence alone deters other kingdoms from going to war with us. When the city finally calms down, it''ll probably be the strongest territory on the continent, a tasty little bite to any kingdom that thinks it''s worth the trouble. So you are helping us more than any giant stone building right now.¡± She stated a matter-of-factly.


    Fel arched her brow while her mouth went a little agape at the remark, which prompted a defensive what from the black scaled woman. ¡°I just didn''t figure you''d be the analytical type¡­ No offense.¡±


    Glia snickered before standing up with a hand on her hip. ¡°That''s right, I got brains, a fine ass tail, and a sexy pair of legs. What more could a woman ask for?¡± She finished while striking a pose, and Fel couldn''t help but giggle at the display while sitting herself upright on the couch.


    ¡°Thanks Glia, I needed that.¡±


    The obsidian scaled beauty smiled while stepping over to Fel''s side and plopping down next to her. ¡°What are friends for!?¡± Her smile grew a little lustful. ¡°And I can think of another thing that you might need.¡± She remarked as her tail slowly slid over her thigh, causing Fel''s heart to race a bit at the offer, but a yell from down the hall ruined the moment.


    One of their guards ran into the room with a slight visible panic, and Fel narrowed her eyes at the intrusion. ¡°Look, I''m a little busy at the moment so if you deal wi-¡±


    ¡°There is a dragon here to see you!¡± The guard interrupted.


    Worry overtook Fel, because this was possibly a negotiator from the council, and she was as diplomatic as her paper dragon when it came to dealing with demands. She stood up and started toward the exit, much to the disappointment of Glia when Fel heard her fall back onto the couch in a huff.


    The last thing she thought she would see when stepping outside was a man she hadn''t seen in years. ¡°Dag?¡± She questioned a little confusingly.


    Dag was a dragon that she met when she was working with Yez, and they had an on and off again relationship whenever they worked together. At some point she wanted a bit more, but Dag told her that it would only end badly with their kind of work. She understood that reality, but the rejection didn''t hurt any less. He was still a good friend, and a great guy to be around, but it was a little awkward between them after that talk.


    The dragoness stepped in to give her old friend a hug, but his hands seemed to wander immediately, and even though that was their old greeting, it triggered a red flag in her mind with how they left things. ¡°It''s so good to see you Fel, and I''ve missed your bed too.¡± He joked with a smirk, but something felt¡­off.


    She took the remark in stride while she stepped back from the short embrace. ¡°Come on, you''d sleep around more than I would if you had the stamina.¡± She jabbed back.


    He placed a hand on her cheek as he looked into her eyes. ¡°But nothing compared to yours.¡± He said before pushing in for a kiss.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The move caught her completely off guard, and a part of her wanted to let it continue, but the other was screaming at her that this wasn''t right. She pushed back from the kiss and finally took specific notice of the large bag on his back. ¡°Dag, what are you doing here?¡± She questioned more seriously.


    Dag puffed out his chest with a proud smile that now rubbed her the wrong way. ¡°Well, you chose to leave Yez, so I thought I''d join you. You always talked about how You wanted to start your own efforts against the council, and now you have the means. So why not?¡± He answered with a practiced tone that only Fel could catch after knowing him for so long.


    Senses on high alert, she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the large bag. ¡°Sure, you can join, but only after you let me search your bag.¡± She answered pointedly.


    His tail whipped once, which was the only tell that she needed to see. ¡°Come on snow, that''s stuffs pri-¡±


    A massive spike of anger shot through her, and her face warped to match. ¡°Don''t you dare call me that you piece of shit, now give me the orb!¡±


    The scumbag winced before he let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°I told her that this was a horrible plan¡­¡± He trailed off dejectedly while he pulled out a communication orb from his bag.


    Enraged, she snatched it and was tempted to crush it immediately, but wanted to give the bitch on the other side a piece of her mind first. ¡°Get the fuck out of Telnar Dag, or else I¡¯ll have you shot.¡± She growled through gritted teeth, and he looked confused for only a moment before flying away.


    Scowling into the orb, she had to continue to not reflexively break it out of anger. ¡°Answer me you scale worn bitch!¡± She yelled into the orb.


    The orb brightened. ¡°Ah, I guess that''s another plan ruined¡­¡± Yez sighed exhaustedly.


    Fel sneered, and her tail whipped the ground in a rage. ¡°Plan!? How fucking dare you pull this shit! And what were you going to do if it worked, huh? Have Leo killed in his sleep? Poison his food? Frame Telnar for acting against another kingdom? Or maybe just ruin my relationship with him!?¡± She glowered at the orb while her hands shook, just barely restraining her desire to crush it.


    The orb brightened. ¡°Nothing so brash¡­ Though it has crossed my mind. No, I just wanted to have an ear close to Leo. You were just an afterthought.¡± Yez responded calmly.


    She felt the soles of her shoes rip as her toes curled down against the material. ¡°Then you should have infiltrated our guard instead of fucking with my past relationships you cold hearted bitch!¡±


    The orb dimmed. ¡°I tried, but Leo isn''t as stupid as I wished he was. He only allows people who were in Telnar during the attack to be in his guard, and none of them are particularly open to the idea of spying on him. So after I got word from a few of my other spies that he repelled a dragon taskforce, then I may have become a little¡­desperate.¡± Yez explained a bit harshly.


    The torrent of emotions within Fel reached its peak with those words. ¡°Desperate!? Are you serious!? If that was the case, then you''d drop the fucking need to have everything under your control and just work with us like he offered! But now I can say without a doubt that you''ve burned that bridge. So on behalf of my dear paper dragon, FUCK OFF!¡± She screamed before smashing the orb into the ground and stomping it into dust, the force of it causing massive cracks in the ground from the impacts.


    She stormed back into the manor to get a new pair of shoes, walking past a visibly surprised Glia while the wood under her seemed to creak loudly with each of her steps.


    ¡°Uh, you alright? I heard some screaming, but didn''t want to go out in case I got in the way.¡± Glia asked a little tepidly while strolling close behind.


    A permanent scowl was fixed to the dragon''s visage as she walked into her room. ¡°No, no I''m not, but now I know what I can do to occupy my time.¡± She paused to pull out a new pair of shoes to put on. ¡°I''m heading out to have a talk with Vesta and Sel, then I''m going to comb the city for every one of Yez''s rats.¡± She hissed in a simmering rage.


    ¡®God''s, after that I actually wished that it was the council.¡¯


    _________________________________________


    Meanwhile


    Yelling and shouting filled a massive underground chamber, as nearly two hundred dragons sat around a large obsidian table arguing over what to do about the situation.


    ¡°I told you we should have just wiped the city from the map. Now we have to deal with both the potential war and Telnar!¡±


    ¡°We rush into things without knowing and we may end up turning other kingdoms against us!¡±


    ¡°He destroyed an academy! If the other kingdoms continue to try and gain favor with him, how long until some choose to get rid of their own.¡±


    ¡°None of them will do that, they are too ingrained in most of their societies at this point. But kicking out our guardians because of Rak is another issue.¡±


    ¡°Of course that short sighted sadistic headache had to die while leaving one last stain on our name!¡±


    ¡°Leave my son out of this! It was the insect''s decision to do a purge, he was merely doing his duty as a guardian!¡±


    ¡°Duty!? Then what''s the lesson plan in where we teach them that it''s perfectly fine to skin people alive!?¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± The word reverberated throughout the chamber, ending all of the arguments immediately.


    The tall and bulky dragon that caused the interruption was a little young compared to the majority of others present, but it was totally overlooked due to his familial relations. ¡°The solution is simple. If the Summon is at the center of all of this, then we must merely kill him. And if fifty of our best isn''t enough, then we must take a more extreme measure. I move for the use of the sword.¡± He proposed, and everyone else started muttering amongst themselves.


    Another young dragon spoke out against him, this one barely an initiate. ¡°You can''t be serious? You''re not even the council''s head yet, so you have no authority to-¡± She was cut off by the man.


    ¡°The hag wanted to honor an old friend and it cost us! And even though most of the general population believes that Fel''aristriza was responsible for everything, every kingdom''s spies are informing those that they serve of the truth. That the summon has the power of the gods, and can casually send FIFTY of us back home with our tails between our legs! The longer we wait, the more damage will be done.¡± He berated the comment while sneering at the woman, who''s distant relation was the only reason it was tolerated.


    The man smirked as the minor irritation stormed out with a scowl. ¡°I would put it to a vote, but I am going to be the head soon enough anyway. So I''m using it with or without the vote, and anyone who would like to join me to finally put down this problem is free to do so. Those who don''t¡­Will be remembered for later.¡± He warned as he stood up to head for the exit, and over a hundred fifty left to follow him.


    Most who stayed were either very old or new members, and all of them looked very displeased by the situation.


    ¡°Phi isn''t going to be happy about this¡­¡±


    _________________________________________


    Vipa


    Vipa was at the main gate to the city, overseeing the arrivals of the nobles who accepted the invitations for the ball, because every other gate had been closed in preparation. The queen wanted to know in advance who would show up, that way she wouldn''t be caught off guard. And even though the ball was set for tomorrow evening, there was a large possibility that some would try to come early enough to make an unexpected showing.


    The general was also making sure that her soldiers were on high alert due to the possible number of nobles set to arrive, because assassination attempts, kidnappings, or general public altercations were a very real problem that she had to stay on top of. Her troops were kept plenty busy with all the patrolling from the gate to the palace, but Vipa was at a second checkpoint with absolutely nothing to do but jot down those that would make it to this first gathering.


    She looked out the window and noted down another noble family that was passing the checkpoint while she was sitting next to Sairiss, who seemed a little on edge, which concerned her greatly. ¡°Sairiss, is something wrong? I get the mood change when it comes to your sister, but we''re just guarding the route.¡±


    Sairiss''s lips only slightly curled into a frown as she was visibly in thought for a moment. ¡°This still has to do with my family, because I know that my father-¡± She paused to scowl. ¡°He likes to make a show, but everyone else will be most likely using a smugglers tunnel to enter the city.¡± She answered, and Vipa realized that was definitely something to be on edge about.


    The Venomara were a family of the most brutally efficient degree, and even though they were little more than mercenaries when you boil it down, their exploits were the stuff of nightmares and legend. Vipa had always thought that most of the stories were just rumors, but she couldn''t help but consider otherwise after contracting Sairiss a few times.


    On one of those contracts, Sairiss was to assassinate a general, leave no witnesses, and destroy any potential threat to Vipa''s promotion. Sairiss returned after a week from starting the contract, and the totality of what she had done was what made Vipa reconsider her opinion on those rumors.


    In addition to killing the general, Sairiss had killed every direct subordinate, family member, and close associate, as well as destroying every asset that could be claimed by another third party. Every possible tie the previous holder had was either cut or destroyed, and all it cost her was a favor to the family.


    Vipa was terrified what favor they might one day come to collect, but she didn''t expect to wake up one night and find the assassin herself to use it.


    Sairiss had left her family with her sister and needed work, in exchange she would send a letter to clear the debt and ensure that none of the Venomara would interfere with her. She explained that rule eight of the family was to never kill each other''s clients, so as long as she continued to work for Vipa she would be safe from contracts requesting her death.


    And after seeing what the terrifying woman had done all on their own, the up and coming general gladly took the deal, since the mercenary would be acting as both her sword and shield.


    Though she didn''t know why Sairiss chose her of all people to turn to, because she could work anywhere and for anyone given her skills. Sairiss also would never tell her why, saying that their interests were aligned and that was all she needed to know.


    After a few hours of waiting at the checkpoint, a massive wooden carriage that might as well be a small house was pulled in by ten horses.


    She turned to Sairiss to remark on its excessive size, but she saw that they were gripping the hilt of their sword while looking as if they were ready for an attack to come at any moment.


    It took a second for Vipa to come up with a reason for the reaction before she looked back to the carriage with deep worry. ¡°Are you sure tha-¡± She stopped short and her eyes went wide as three more of them pulled up.


    ¡°Yes, it''s them¡­¡±


    _________________________________________