Chapter 6: Lessons and growth

When we arrive at Sven’s study, he points out the books that are okay for me to read. I find out that it actually causes some mental strain to read the runes in the books and that higher level runes can harm me if I try to push myself too much. I’ll need to increase my int attribute to be able to read the higher level runes. Since there isn’t many books and fewer that I can actually read, I spend the rest of today's magic session cultivating.

<Status> +[disguised stats], -[hidden stats]
Name: Lilia | Age: 20 | Sex: Female
+Race: {Vampire(50%)}{Blood demon(25%)}{Dragon(20%)}{Dryad(5%)}
Cultivation Stages: {Body: 1(5%)}{Mind: 1(5%)}{Spirit: 0}{Divine: 0(10%)}{Law: 0}
Energy Reserves: {Qi: 0/13}{Mana: 0/20}{Spirit: 10/10}{Divine: 0/10}
Attributes: Str: 10(50%) | Vit: 15(50%) | Agi: 15(50%) | Int: 20(50%)
Soul Potential: 4

So, when you cultivate, there are two methods. One that will expand the person’s capacity to improve which is the stage and the other which will improve your attributes using up soul potential in the process, one sp per attribute gain. Both methods will use energy. Qi energy is one-third of the sum of the physical attributes and mana is equal to the intelligence attribute. A person will naturally have control over fifty percent of their strength at minimum unless they have some sort of debuff. They can also exercise to improve that control. Oh, and the glass cannon curse doesn’t affect the speed I can raise my attribute values, just the speed I can raise my control and cultivation. Makes it not really worth it to train any of the physical attributes too much.

We leave Sven’s study just before lunch time. Sophia heads directly for her chambers and I swing by the kitchen to grab our lunches. I’m harassed on my way by a pair of minor characters. A pair of apprentice mages who stupidly tried to drag me off to their room for a ‘good time’. My undies do their job and render them collapsed in the hallway with their energy drained. I take a little extra time to arrange them into a very embarrassing pose. I bring lunch and offer to feed it to her, which is refused with a glare. I try to lighten her mood by making small talk.

“So, I ran into a couple mage apprentices on the way to the kitchen. They tried to drag me off to their room for some ‘fun’. Do things like this happen often to the maids?”~me

“Unfortunately, yes. How did you manage to get away from them?”~Sophia

*smirk* “Panties. They almost immediately passed out after grabbing me with no permanent harm done except perhaps if somebody finds them in that position before they wake up.”~me

“Be sure to steer clear of my brothers. You can even take it as an order to run away from them and find me if they ever start to harass you. In fact, that is an order. If they can’t abuse you, they are likely to try to kill you. What position?”~Sophia

“I flipped open their robes and positioned each of their heads to the other’s nutts.”~me

She bursts out in laughter for the first time since we’ve met. Well worth the minor harassment I experienced. She has a beautiful smile. I’ve now officially received my first order from her. It is heartwarming that it is for my protection.

While I was listening to the kitchen gossip, I learned that the hero party will be setting out in one week for the dungeon city of Tandor which is directly south of here. The geography of Aetheria, at least from what I could gather in the library, is one very large continent divided into three by a treacherous river, a mountain range and a strip of poisonous swampland. In the center of the continent is an enormous mountainous region belonging to the dragons. The mountains extend to the edge of the continent in the southwest direction, effectively cutting off the demons race of the south from the non-human races of the Magic Forest region. The strip of poisonous swampland extends to the southeast direction creating a divide between the human and demon races. It is difficult for humans to traverse, however demonkin have tough bodies with some resistance to poisons and like to raid supplies from the border kingdoms. A wide river with dangerous rapids divides the humans from the Magic Forest as it travels due north from the central mountains. There are seven human kingdoms, Parnam being in the center with the other six surrounding it.

According to Kat, dungeons serve a cleanup function in this world. They are generated in areas of dense energy buildup that happen in near populated areas. Once formed, they begin to suck up the excess energies generated from dense populations that has trouble naturally dissipating on its own. The dungeon then processes the energy into ores, monsters and crystals. After a dungeon has been formed for some time, it will begin to form natural treasures. These treasures can be skill crystals, qi crystals, mana crystals, spirit crystals, and in very rare instances, law crystals.

Once Sophia has finished her meal, it is time for her archery lesson. It is a fairly straightforward lesson, mostly just shooting a lot of arrows to work on aim. I spent the time memorizing the motions and admiring the view. Sophia has very beautiful lightly tanned skin that has a golden shine under the sunlight.

Last lesson is etiquette which not only covers customs in this kingdom, but all the surrounding kingdoms as well. Belgra, the kingdom to the southwest bordering the Magic Forest and the central mountains, is covered extensively due to the fact that Sophia is engaged to their crown prince. The reason they haven’t married yet is because she hadn’t quite lost all her childish features due to her longevity. In only a few weeks, she will have to depart for her wedding. Belgra has a lot of demi-human slaves due to its proximity to the Magic Forest. Some slaves make it to Parnam, but they are usually kept in the various peoples’ harems or otherwise out of sight. Half-beastkin apparently always pass on their beastkin bloodline when reproducing and the beastkin traits are dominant. For this reason, most people who have beastkin as sex slaves will force them to use a contraceptive drug which explains why I haven’t seen any half-beastkin children from our lustful king. They are publicly degraded as mere beasts and privately coveted luxury goods. Typical hypocritical behaviour! Once we’ve returned to her chambers for the night, I decide to inquire about her feelings regarding her imminent marriage.

“Mistress, what do you think of your fiance?”~me

“What brought this up? You’re usually pretty quiet.”~Sophia

“I didn’t hear about you being engaged until today’s etiquette lesson. Please answer using our link, you should practice. It may be of great use to you, should you learn to fully exploit the power I’ve given you over me.”~me

“Oh, it seems like a good match since we are both half-elves, although he is twice my current age. I don’t force you via your curse because I don’t want to degrade you as an object to be used like my mother and me.”~Sophia

“Lie! You definitely just lied about the marriage being a good match. I can hear you trying to deceive me. Remember, the link transfers thoughts, not words, which includes the intent of that thought. Trying to lie to me when we are talking like this is pointless. I don’t mind you thinking of me as a person, but I want you to use me to your advantage. Please tell me how you really feel.”~me

“I forgot the part about intent. *sigh* Honestly, the guy is an obnoxious lustful prick, not unlike my own father. I wouldn’t even be marrying as the main wife, just another concubine for him to abuse. He has many rumors about how poorly he treats women, but I have no choice. Father threaten to harm my mother if I make trouble in this. Is it that you want me to be more assertive with handling you or order you to do things?”~Sophia

“Thank you for telling me your true feelings. Assertive, yes. Order, not quite. I want you to firmly tell me what you do or do not want me to do, only using an order as a last resort should I fail to comply.”~me

“Do not want you to do? Hmm, is that why you have pushing me into one embarrassing situation after another?”~Sophia

“...”~me

She is more aware than I thought!

“I heard that! Perhaps I should learn how the punish commands work first!”~Sophia

“Yes, Mistress! Please punish this lowly servant!”~me

Oh no, what have I just awoken in her...and...me?!

“I choose...this one will do.”~Sophia

I immediately discovered what she just chose when my head felt like it split when the migraine inducing punishment activated. Just a simple pain punishment, but it hurts directly on the body and she chose the brain. Oooh, it hurts to think right now. I’m thankful that she is learning though and that she set it to time out at bedtime.

Bath time is much less stimulating now that she is leaning to assert herself and I was only allowed to give a quick massage to lightly rub in the body oil. No deep tissue massage tonight. When we get to the bed, my punishment is over, yet she insists that I sleep facing away from her when my hands began to roam. She then proceeded to secure my arms by wrapping hers around me, turning me into a very willing hug pillow. Last thing I do before falling asleep is my nightly prayer.