As soon as I open up Zutiria’s profile, I grab hold of the magical screen and present it to her. She’s able to take it and even resize it to make it easier for her to read, so it’s good to know that while I’m the creator and source of Taskmaster’s manifested screens I could theoretically pass one or more over for someone else to use at the same time.

Not too many applications for that, yet. Not with so few Guild members. But in the future when I have enough adventurers to send out multiple teams on different quests at the same time I could imagine this being a life changing feature.

Zutiria grumbles a bit as she reads her own details but ultimately passes it back to me. ‘It’s ok, I suppose. I just didn’t want it to reveal anything that... was too upsetting, or anything.’

“I understand.” I bring Zutiria in for a little hug and she softly smiles while returning the gesture.

I make the screen large enough for the four of us to read it together, Sam eager to tease her friend and Meri curious to learn more about her.

-------------------------------------

-NAME-

Zutiria Syndaline

-CLASS-

Black Mage

-AGE-

35

-PERSONALITY-

Tortured, Lonely, Depressive, Sheltered, Intelligent, Mischievous, Stunted, Devoted, Intellectual

-BLESSINGS-

None

-SKILLS-

Unheard of Magical Prowess, Alchemist, Magical Inventor

-LIKES-

Sir, Showing Sir Affection, Sarcasm, Teasing Others, Rats, Studying, Experimenting, Magic Knick-knacks, Dusty Books Full of Arcane Secrets, Interpersonal Drama and Gossip, Pranks

-DISLIKES-

Herself, Talking, Darkness, Void Between Realms, Sleeping, Nightmares, Her Petite Body, Exercise, Her Tower

-FETISHES-

Submissive Role Play, Sir’s Balls, The Smell of Sir’s Balls, Cock (and Ball) Worship, Being Manhandled, Gentle and Romantic Sex, Being Spoiled with Affection

-CURRENT MOOD-

Thankful (<- MORE OF THIS, PLEASE) that the Goddess didn’t include any details about her tragic backstory. (You’re welcome.)

-CURRENT LOCATION-

Dewhurst Adventurer’s Guild

-BIRTHPLACE-

Arkha Village

-EQUIPMENT-

Low Class Mana Fiber Robe and Beret

Big Circular Rimmed Nerd Glasses

Modified Expensive Brand Name Staff (‘Lovers of Heart’ Model by Wergenberth’s)

-------------------------------------

Instead of a button leading to an Arts List page, Zutiria naturally has one for her Spell List.

The first thing said in response is Sam teasing her with, “Heh. I KNEW you liked sniffing his balls, you ball-sniffer.”

The Mage simply grumbles quietly, blushes and pulls her beret over her face. ‘I’m not coming out today. You’ll have to do the quests alone now, Sammy.’

“Bitch!” Sam clenches her fists in mock rage but can’t hide the smile on her face.

“I-It’s ok, Zutiria! I like lots of weird stuff too!” Meri pats her on the back. “It’s... uh... sometimes it's like every day is a new discovery...” She says while sneaking a quick peek at Sam’s butt for what feels like the thousandth time in ten minutes.

“I had no idea your staff was a Wergenberth... It might be the most expensive thing in the entire Guild, honestly.” I look at Zutiria’s staff in reverence. I always knew it was a decent staff by the looks of it, that much was obvious, but a Wergenberth?

Wergenberth’s is a commercial wand and staff making company known across the realms for their sleek, elegant designs and their absurdly high model level of quality.

I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one before now.

The Mage pulls her hat out of her face and sets it back on her head for her to look at me and blushes, unable to keep eye contact. ‘When I lived in the tower I was usually allowed to ask for anything that I wanted... books... alchemy ingredients... anything that caught my fancy. Just had to write it out and give it to whatever servant brought me my food... But every few years when Wergenberth’s put out a new model... I... um... always made sure to leave the tower and ask Theo directly for it... he always took me out that same day and went to buy it with me.’

Ouch. I almost wince at hearing that.

‘Don’t be worried, Sir. Theo was like a second father to me, nothing more.’

“I... see.” I nod my head, though I wasn’t jealous. Not in that way. I just can’t imagine ever being able to spoil her in that way and that’s what really upsets me. That staff must’ve cost millions of gold alone... I really hope the new model isn’t coming out anytime soon.

Sam has a shocked, disgusted and jealous expression upon her face and she’s having a hard time picking which of the three it wants to be. “Father never took ME shopping...!”

“Would you have even wanted to go shopping with him, Sam?”

“I-I DON’T KNOW! But he could’ve at LEAST asked!!”

Meri looks around the room awkwardly and comes to an interesting realization. “Um... am I the only one here who had a normal family...?”

‘I had a normal family... once.’ Zutiria’s gaze grows cold and dead, making Meri respond in turn with a new sense of guilt weighing down her heavy heart.

“...Oh.”

“...Moving on.” I clear my throat to gather up the attention, hoping to clear the sudden and tense mood. “We may as well see your Spell List while we’re here. Let’s take a look at what you have to offer, shall we?”

I click the button and the screen changes to a dense, packed page of words. It’s about as full as I... expect...ed?

“Zuzu, what the FUCK?” Sam rubs her eyes to make sure she’s not making a mistake or anything.

“...Is that n-normal for a Mage?” Meri looks at me for confirmation.

Zutiria blushes and says nothing in response.

This can’t be right. Zutiria is talented and in her own words she’s a prodigy but... there’s no possible way that this is correct. I make a quick calculation in my head and determine that there are one hundred magic spells on this page alone.

‘Unheard of Magical Prowess’... her own dossier did say that, didn’t it? If Luxy phrased it like that herself then I suppose it really can’t be an exaggeration.

Pointing my finger at a little arrow icon with a number on it at the bottom right corner, I turn to Zutiria. “Would you like to explain what this is, my dear?”

‘It’s a number, Sir.’

“Zutiria.” I say with a more stern voice.

‘It’s a number indicating that you’re on page one out of one hundred and seventy eight.’

“How many spells does an average magic user... no, how many spells would you say someone like a Grand Archsage would know?”

She looks away nervously. ‘Maybe five or six thousand.’

Opalina and I need to have a talk about this at some point in the future...

“Where the fuck are you going with this, Boss?” Asks the Princess who is clearly unskilled when it comes to basic multiplication.

“Zutiria knows at least 17,800 spells.”

Meri and Sam look at their friend as if they’re entirely outclassed, or like she’s suddenly become a stranger who they can no longer relate to at all. “Hahhhh... good one, Boss.”

Click. Click. Click. Click.

I keep clicking that arrow in the bottom right corner and more and more pages of magical spells from a great many schools of wizardry keep displaying like there were no end in sight.

“Holy shit.” The Princess watches as the spells go on and on.

“H-How can I ever compete with that...?!” Meri begins sweating nervously as the sheer number of spells overwhelms her brain.

“Wait, hold on.” I raise my finger towards Meri and inspect the page I’m on, page seven. The last twenty or so spells on this one are completely grayed out similar to how her mana bar looked, and on the next page and the page after that and so on, all the spells are presented this way.

‘These must be all the ones that my body can’t cast...’

“Yes, I’d assume so.” Whether it’s lack of mana or spells that can’t be used due to being verbal only, her actual pool of spells is rather ‘small’ and every page from here on out might as well just be gibberish.

“That’s still a lot though isn’t it?” Sam asks with confusion.

Eventually the Mage has to speak up in her own defense. ‘Look... it’s... not that special. I was alone in a tower for almost twenty seven straight years, and it’s only been thirteen since Sammy started taking away some of my free time. I read a LOT of books. In case I’ve never mentioned the sheer scale of my tower back at Castle Lundreame then for reference’s sake the library that Theo bought me is bigger than this entire guild. With that being said, Learning spells is basically just 70% memorization. Drawing the correct sigils in your mind... learning the correct incantations and pronunciations... Just because I theoretically know these spells doesn’t mean I’m amazing or anything, and it’s not like I’ll ever be able to make use of them all...’

Well if I didn’t feel inadequate as a man over the staff, I sure as hell do now. I knew her library was big, but not that it was bigger than the fucking Guild...

Everyone is quiet for just a moment as we dwell on Zutiria’s words. Sam, Meri and I all think about saying different things in response but we decide not to because it just wouldn’t be appropriate. There’s nothing to be said that could make her feel better.

Surprisingly though, Zutiria sighs and draws all eyes back on her.

‘I don’t need anyone’s pity. What I need is to go out on a quest and kill things with my expensive staff to make my man some money.’ The little lavender cutie smiles and leans in to kiss me on the cheek. ‘Let’s get to it, Sir. And don’t you dare start feeling self conscious about my library again. I’d live my entire life without it if it meant spending it with you. Understood?’