Chapter 19: Something Wicked This Way (1/2)
Bright sunlight streaming in through the window finally woke Mike up around mid-morning. He extricated himself from the arms of Jasmine and another two women he didn't recall meeting. His memories of last night were blurry once the wine was brought out. Hopefully, he didn't make a fool of himself. He stood up and tried to locate his clothes and equipment. It was a bit of an ordeal, since garments were strewn across the room in a haphazard fashion.
It was a pleasant surprise to wake up without a hangover, but Mike figured that it must be a product of a youthful body. He vaguely wondered if binge drinking as a teenager might impact his body's development.
After finally locating his pants, he was just about to try tracking down his boots, when a contented sigh from the bed interrupted him. He looked over to find Jasmine sitting up, unabashedly displaying her assets.
She glanced over at Mike with a smile, ”Morning hon. Last night was amazing. I haven't seen someone with that kind of stamina before. You really wore us out.” She stood and stretched, causing Mike heart to start pounding at the sight, before expertly locating her dress. Once clothed, she poked the two other women awake and had them get dressed as well, before sending them on their way.
”OK hon, you can take your time getting ready. You don't have to be out until this afternoon. Feel free to come on down to the common room when you are hungry. There should be breakfast…” She paused, glancing out the window. ”Or at the very least lunch available.”
”Sure, that sounds good.” Mike replied, finally locating his boots now that the rest of the clothes were gone.
While he was distracted, Jasmine swept him into her embrace and planted a kiss on his lips. His mind froze mid-thought, completely unable to respond before she pulled away.
”Be sure to stop by and see me the next time you are in town.” She flashed a mischievous grin. ”I'll make sure to give you a good discount.”
Before Mike could process his thoughts enough to say anything she left.
[Whew, the women in this world are something else. Guess I must have done alright last night.]
A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he checked his [Status] only to sigh once he saw the new entries. His Minor Endurance Enhancement had ranked up again, and he had picked up a Basic Poison Resistance skill that had already reached Rank 2. He guessed that it must have stemmed from the amount he drank last night. However, it was the new secondary skill and title that really depressed him.
Philanderer (Title)
A true womanizer, you are famous for your exploits in the bedroom. Minor increase to charisma when interacting with members of the opposite sex. (Increased to moderate when equipped.) Moderate increase to performance during intimacy with members of the opposite sex. Minor increase to improvement of related skills.
Advanced Lovemaking (Tier 2, Rank 3)
The art of pleasing a partner during acts of physical intimacy. Provides users with an intuitive understanding of what steps to take to satisfy lovers. Moderate increase to Endurance during intimate acts.
Rank 3 Effects: Casanova Aura
Casanova Aura
Named for the famous playboy who pioneered this ability. Users subconsciously project an aura that attracts and entices those who could conceivably be attracted to them. This has the opposite effect on those who would not be. Moderate increase to charisma when interacting with those whose orientation matches the users perceived gender. Minor decrease to charisma when interacting with all others.
”How the hell is it already at Rank 3?! And what the hell is up with that title?!”
Mike sat down on the bed and sighed. As much as he hated the implications of the skill and title, he figured that the effects could come in handy in the future.
”With this, I should at least be popular with the ladies.” He got up, finished dressing and gathering his belongings, and went to look for Morris.
It took some doing, but he was able to locate and wake up the older man. Morris was clearly suffering from a terrible hangover. On a whim, Mike tried out his healing magic on the man.
”Thanks, I really needed that.” Morris grinned gratefully. ”Mages really have it easier.”
After a quick exchange, they agreed to meet down in the common room shortly. The tavern was much quieter in the daytime. There were only a few simply dressed women tending to a handful of people apparently eating lunch. Mike noticed that as soon as he entered the room, the women started watching him carefully, in an almost predatory way. The male occupants noticed their change in demeanor and almost as a one glared at Mike with a degree of hostility.
He could only sigh. [I guess I'll have to start getting used to this, unless I can figure out a way to turn off passive skill effects.] He decided he'd have to look into that later.