Chapter 650: Reputation (1/2)

Chapter 650 Reputation

Ilea used her third tier transfer as soon as she had flown a few kilometers out of the city, finding a bush to hide in for the use of her spell. About twenty seconds later, she appeared within the Meadow’s lair.

“Hello,” she greeted the enchanters, floating smith, and unspeakable horror tree.

“Your visits are frequent, human. Have you perhaps missed me?” Meadow asked.

“Very much, my love. How are the children?” she replied, looking around.

“If you’re open to reproduction experiments, I would not say no. However I’m fairly certain that I lack the necessary organs,” the Meadow spoke.

“I’m sure someone with your otherrealmly brain can figure something out. Plenty of magic after all,” she said.

A breeze went over the black grass of the Meadow. “I was talking about reproduction, not pleasure. We’ve done the latter many times already.”

Ilea raised an eyebrow. “We did? I fail to remember.”

“We’ve trained hundreds of times, Ilea. Perhaps you can’t recall because your brain was destroyed so many times. Or because you enjoy being ripped apart so much,” it said.

Ilea rolled her eyes. “Have you been reading smut?”

“I assume you mean written depictions of the pleasures of the flesh? Yes. Iana lent me her collection. For research purposes only,” the Meadow explained.

Explains this conversation. Can’t wait for this thing to gain all the knowledge of humanity. Its sarcasm will destabilize the entire realm.

“You’re a charming piece of landscape, but I think I’ll stick to humanoids,” Ilea said instead.

“How quaint. And here I thought you truly awakened,” the being said.

“It’s not you, it’s me,” she answered. “I’m sure you have a type as well.”

“I’m a scholar of magic, not an animal driven by primal instincts,” spoke the Meadow.

Ilea looked at the tree and smiled. “I’m sure you can find beauty in romance nonetheless. It’s not all about sex.”

An otherworldly sigh flowed through the grass. “If only there was an equal to my infinite brilliance.”

“What about the Fae? You seemed thoroughly impressed,” Ilea said with a smirk, sitting down to figure out the appearing puzzle of floating stone within shifting space.

The Meadow remained quiet for a while. “I could never… the difference between it and I is as vast as the gulf between you and me.”

“You really know how to charm a woman,” Ilea said while rolling her eyes. “It conversed with me, I’m sure it would be open to have a conversation at least. Or ten thousand of them, at the same time. I don’t know what kind of minds you two have.”

“Ah… truly, a gift it would be to learn more from one such as they,” the being spoke. “I shall try, young healer. Perhaps I will meet one of its kind again in a few decades. Enough time perhaps to think of a question.”

“Don’t rush it,” Ilea said in a dry tone. She noted that Iana was still working on her armor’s enchantments, Goliath fiddling around with various materials from spacial containers now down in Meadow’s lair and his new old workshop.

I really wasn’t gone for that long, she mused, thinking about the events of the day. The Corinth Order would likely not pose a threat in the foreseeable future and she had made an impression on the royals, including people close to them. They’d at least think twice about an extensive conflict with her allies, knowing what she brought to the table. That or they’d try underhanded methods but the king seemed reasonable enough. He’d likely prefer the benefits of cooperation and trade to whatever he would gain otherwise.

Training for the night I suppose, and the next healing order tomorrow. Let’s hope they’re a little more reasonable or at least have poison capable of raising my resistance.

“The mists are retreating to the morning light,” the Meadow spoke.

Ilea looked up, blinking a few times as she stopped focusing on the space around her. With her enhanced senses coupled with dominion and space awareness, the increasing variations and layers the Meadow conjured for her training let her downright sink into some sort of otherworldly space pocket. Her ability had increased to the extent where she knew that her mind was barely even scratching the surface.

She knew rationally how truly powerful the Meadow was but it was simple to think of higher leveled magic users as simply packing a harder punch. With her space awareness, she was learning to glimpse into the bottomless depths of its capabilities.

‘ding’ ‘Space Awareness reaches 3rd lvl 8’

‘ding’ ‘Earth Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Space Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 7’

“Thanks,” she said and stood up, brushing away some dirt below her ashen dress. It covered her up without the insane defensive capabilities of her armor, allowing for more efficient resistance training without ruining clothes and armor. “You’re really quite terrifying,” she added, looking at the tree as she cracked her neck and knuckles.

“You lack the perception to grasp my primal form,” the Meadow said.

“Oh really? Are you creating an illusion to prevent everyone around you from going mad?” she joked.

“Yes,” spoke the tree.

Ilea blinked her eyes, unsure if the being was just fucking with her. Either seemed perfectly reasonable to her. Maybe it’s both.

She laughed at the idea of its presence alone literally killing her on the spot.

“Can you show me?” she asked.

“I’d rather not undress in front of you,” the Meadow spoke.

“Understandable,” she said and activated her long range teleportation. “Might be back again later. Thanks for the training.”

“I’ll be here,” the being spoke, the enchanters waving her way offhandedly.

Ilea appeared on a forested hill overlooking Riverwatch, looking up at the birds chirping away. Didn’t even notice me, hmm?

The sky was mostly clear of clouds, the morning light shining over the forested plains and against the vast mountain of Karth. Carts and groups of adventurers were leaving the city below.

She summoned the Order of Balance invitation and looked it over. Minister Genesis. Ominous name. Western section of Virilya.

Not a lot to go on but she assumed the person in question was important enough to be found rather easily. The letter itself looked official enough, with a few signatures and wax stamps. With a lot of imagination and considerable space awareness use, one of the scribbles could be identified as the name Genesis. Ilea assumed a similar handwriting sickness to befall the healers of this land much like the one plaguing doctors back on Earth. With the magically enhanced lifespan, the effects would likely get exponentially worse.

To a point where I might be able to actually train my space awareness with this, she thought with a smile and spread her wings.

Her flight path took her near the walls of Riverwatch, Ilea glancing over the busy independent city, seeing a few flying mages and guards going about their own business. Some of the guards on the walls waved her way, likely recognizing the familiar armor and wings.

They may think I’m just another Sentinel.

The thought seemed comforting in a way. She hadn’t considered it so far but the more Sentinels managed to get to a higher level, unlocking some kind of ash armor and wings, the less recognizable she herself will become. Before people thought her just another Shadow, which granted, she was. But now with her reputation, pretty much everyone who heard the songs or stories could put two and two together.

Until my own reputation will mix in with that of the Sentinels, Lilith becoming the legendary founder that may or may not truly exist, she thought with a grin. Ilea could certainly see how people would start to believe Lilith was more than one person. Especially with her flying speed and long range teleportation. The journey from Halstein to Virilya would take weeks for normal people, and still probably a few days for Hunter rank Sentinels.

She charged her wings and focused on the mark on Felicia, the location somewhere towards where Virilya should have been. A moment later she shot off into the distance.

None of the monsters or people she saw on the way managed to react to her passing, most likely not noticing anything until the sound would reach them. Her high Wind Resistance ability reduced that effect as well however.

She slowed down when she saw glittering light reflecting off the capital lake’s surface, landing in the wilderness a few kilometers away from the distant walls.