Chương 94: 93. Compensation and a New Book

[Status:] Name: Dareth Wood Race: Human Mana: 173/1900 Level: 51 Class: Convenience Mage [New Class Skill Available!] [Attributes:] Strength: 64 Agility: 65 Endurance: 66 Intelligence: 190 Constitution: 64 Attribute Points Available: 4 Adolin ignored the rest of the status window and focused on the new Class Skill. He couldn't deny he was a little excited to see what the blessing had chosen for him. As he focused on the new line, the status window vanished, replaced by another.

It looked almost identical, except for the information it displayed. [New Class Skill Available for Selection.] 1. Nighty! 2. Bother Me Not! 3. Cleanse Adolin stared at the skills and chuckled. What kind of naming sense was that? There was nothing else on the screen except the names of the skills and the feeling that he could select any one of them to learn more. That sounded nice, but he wanted to see if he could guess what they did first.

The first skill sounded like something that would put people to sleep—or help him fall asleep faster. The second sounded like it dealt with people who were bothering him, while the last one, the only one with a normal-sounding name, was probably related to cleansing. He quickly realized he didn't like the guessing game. The names were ridiculous. He focused on the first skill. [Nighty!] Instantly grants the benefits of a full night's sleep, restoring the mind, body, and soul.

[What's more convenient than a full night's sleep at the tip of a wand?] [Remark: Can only be used once per day. Even more effective than coffee.] He read the skill description and frowned. It sounded useful for most people, but he already had plenty of spells that achieved the same result. Most healing spells reinvigorated the body by flooding it with Life Mana. The effect didn't last very long if the target was already exhausted, but that was only a side effect.

He also knew several spells created specifically to restore stamina and reduce fatigue. Still, it would be incredibly useful for almost anyone else in this world. Healing magic seemed to be limited to priests. Coffee? Adolin focused on the next Skill. [Bother Me Not!] When this Skill is active, anyone attempting to interact with the host for longer than five minutes will suddenly remember something important they need to do—or somewhere else they need to be.

[Remark: The Skill can be overcome with moderate willpower. Those determined to interact with the host can resist it with relative ease... or simply keep coming back until the host is forced to deal with them.] [Additional Remark: Sometimes, people just need to be left alone.]"The blessing really is something," Adolin muttered with a concealed chuckle. There were too many people around him, so he didn't want them to see him laughing at empty air. The Skill was... unique.

It really did seem tailored to the individual. Except for Nighty!. He still had no idea why that had been one of his options. It wasn't like he ever struggled to stay awake... Well, except for the coma a few days ago. He read the description again. How would it even work? It reminded him of Mind Magic, though he doubted that was the answer. If he had to guess, it was probably something closer to Suggestion Magic. The Skill gently nudged people toward another thought instead of forcing one into their minds.

It also wasn't particularly useful. He already had plenty of ways to get rid of people who bothered him. He could simply Teleport away, block access with elemental magic, or do what he'd done with the civilians earlier. The Skill sounded fun to play around with, but that was about it. It certainly wouldn't work on his former party. Those monsters would shrug it off without a second thought—however powerful the blessing was—and probably end up bothering him even more. He focused on the last Skill.

[Cleanse] Using this Skill removes all dirt, grime, and odor from the host's body. It can also be used internally. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. [Remark: You'll never need a toilet again!] Well... the Skill really was convenient. In fact, it might have been the most convenient one the blessing had offered him. He already knew spells that could achieve the same effect, but all of them required concentration and effort. This one didn't.

Through the eyes still scattered around the estate, he saw Eduard making his way toward him, hopefully with his compensation. The man would arrive in a few seconds, so Adolin glanced back at the window and continued reading the remaining Skill descriptions. Both Nighty! and Bother Me Not! were interesting and unique, but he didn't have many uses for them. Cleanse, on the other hand, was something he could use regularly. Best of all, it didn't cost any mana.

Eduard was only a few steps away, so Adolin took a deep breath, selected Cleanse, and closed the window. The moment he did, knowledge of how to use the Skill appeared in his mind. Implanted was probably a better word. It was as though he had always known how to use it. All he had to do was think about activating the Skill, and it would instantly clean his entire body, his clothes, and... inwardly. He also learned that he could use the Skill three times per day, with a three-hour cooldown between each use.

Once all three uses were spent, he would have to wait until the next day before he could use it again. That was all the information the blessing gave him. Eduard stopped in front of him. He still had a slight limp, but otherwise looked mostly recovered.

"Brought your payment," Eduard said. He raised a hand and pointed toward the ground. A table appeared on the grass. Then came a coin pouch, followed by one potion, then another, until ten mana potions rested on the table. Finally, he placed three sets of clothes and a mage's robe beside them. Adolin didn't say anything. He simply watched as Eduard laid everything out.

"Ten mana potions, three hundred gold," Eduard listed. Adolin's eyes widened, but he quickly recovered. Thankfully, Eduard didn't notice. His attention remained on the table as he continued.

"Three pairs of clothes and a mage robe. It's a dungeon artifact."

"Dungeon artifact?" Adolin asked, keeping his expression neutral. That was much better compensation than he'd bargained for. Eduard nodded.

"What does it do?"

"It's more of an everyday item," Eduard said.

"Great for traveling. It regulates your body temperature, keeping it comfortable in any weather." Adolin nodded. That sounded like a great artifact. He could regulate the temperature around his body himself, but it required constant focus, which wasn't exactly convenient. He couldn't wait to try it out. Eduard straightened and pulled a parchment from his inner pocket. He had ditched his dented armor and was now dressed in noble attire—a purple jacket over black pants.

"The Count asked me to bring you this. In case you need it." He stepped toward the table, unrolled the parchment, and weighed down each corner with a mana potion before taking a step back.

"A map of the continent," he said, pointing toward the Desert of Dread.

"The coordinates the Count deciphered from the letters." Adolin tilted his head.

"And why would I need them?" Eduard shrugged. Adolin stared at him for a moment before giving a small nod. He glanced at the table and studied the map. It was the same one the Count had shown him earlier. The only difference was the two newly marked locations where the deciphered coordinates pointed. He folded the parchment and placed it into his inventory. The table itself was made of black wood—the same kind that filled the forest surrounding the estate. It was beautifully crafted.

The tabletop was perfectly round, supported by legs that met at the center. Every surface except the top had been intricately engraved. Adolin guessed it was quite expensive. He liked the craftsmanship. Through the eye near the front of the estate, he saw the Count heading toward the main gate with a dozen knights in tow. A few moments later, he sensed more than a dozen archmage-tier auras beyond the gate.

Most were considerably stronger than the enemy archmages he'd fought earlier, and two stood out even among them.

"The Emperor?" Adolin asked. Eduard looked confused for a moment before nodding.

"Yes."

"He's late to the party." Eduard didn't comment. Adolin chuckled as he watched the main gate. Moments later, riders burst from behind the trees, galloping toward the estate beneath two enormous banners. It was time to leave. He would have preferred a few more hours. He didn't want to waste another mana potion—or deal with the side effects of drinking too many in such a short time. Then he proceeded to store the items on the table one by one inside his inventory. It felt really awkward...

Why wouldn't the blessing allow him to store everything at once? Once everything was gone, he glanced at the table again. It was a work of art, and he liked it. The table disappeared into his inventory as well. Eduard didn't comment on that either. Adolin took out a mana potion, drank it, and vanished from the estate. The last Watchful Eye vanished, its mana signature burning away until nothing remained. … Adolin woke up in a bed at the inn in Zent Village. His head was still pounding as he stared at the ceiling.

He groaned and slowly took in the room around him. Lira was asleep in a chair beside the bed, the kitten curled up in her lap. He had half expected to collapse into bed after spending more than ten times his mana pool, and the last Teleport had done exactly that. Still, his headache was much better than it had been at the estate. He took a deep breath. The room smelled faintly of flowers. A vase filled with fresh flowers sat on the bedside table, and beside it lay a book. Lira stirred and glanced at him.

The moment she realized he was awake, a warm smile spread across her face.

"You're awake!" Her excitement woke the kitten as well, and a moment later the little one was assaulting his ears with an indignant series of meows. Adolin reached over to pet it. The kitten promptly climbed onto his chest, staring intently at his face while continuing to meow every so often.

"What happened?" Lira asked.

"Just tired..." Adolin replied. Lira didn't look like she believed him, but at least she didn't ask any more questions. They talked for a few minutes. The merchant had been ready to leave two days earlier and had been pressuring Revel to continue the journey. Revel had managed to buy them a few more days, but now that Adolin was awake, they would be setting off for the city of Wolk. That meant he only had an hour or two to recover before traveling again. Throughout the conversation, Lira kept glancing at the table.

"I..." She picked up the book.

"I was supposed to give you this after you healed me." She held it in both hands for a moment.

"But it took me some time to recover from the treatment, and by the time I was feeling better, you were already gone." She smiled and handed him the book. Adolin accepted it and examined the worn cover. The book looked ancient, yet when he opened it, the pages were as pristine as if they had just been written.

"What's this?"

"The Tea spell," Lira said.

"It's a dungeon spell book." Everything moved quickly after that. He was forced to prepare for the journey, leaving him with no time to study the spell. Before long, he was lying in one of the wagons as the caravan headed toward the city of Wolk.