81 Void-Step (2/2)

Close to an hour passed before Rainer brought Kara out of Auto-pilot and into the White Void.

Talvara clothed herself as Kara came in, opting not to cause any issues between the two. Her goal in appearing sans-clothing had been more of an attempt to put the [Archon] off-guard at first and later on just a matter of comfort. Not to cause a fight or rift between him and his love.

”How come she's wearing clothes?” Kara asked almost as soon as she appeared, surprising the Void-being.

”I don't know. It feels weird now,” Rainer responded.

”I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed at not being able to see what you've described as 'Disturbingly Perfect'.”

”Disturbingly Perfect?!” The body she spent so many years crafting and used to appear to her followers had such a description as 'Disturbing'? Of course, she often wore the clothes akin to the statue of her built, but even still.

”It's a fake body, right?”

Talvara nodded to Rainer's question. After their last meeting, she wasn't particularly interested in hiding such a thing, especially since the man kept an undead as his best friend. He was hardly one to care about such issues and he seemed already sure of his guess.

”The proportions are a little too perfect.”

”I don't understand…”

”Well…it seems unnatural after you really notice it. At first sure, it was effective, but once I got past you being naked, it was just…”

”Too perfect?”

”No, too symmetrical. Your face as the focus. Or rather your face is really the only problem.”

”But I thought symmetry was a point of beauty?” Talvara asked.

”All things in moderation. Though I suppose if you are trying to project the image of being a goddess a bit of disturbing perfection isn't a bad idea.”

”I assume you are taking this from your vast experience as a Goddess yourself?” Kara asked.

”What else? You should see these legs in a dress.”

”Thank you for that. I don't think I'll be able to get rid of that thought for the rest of my life.”

”I aim to please.”

”Huh…would your Charisma make you look appealing in a dress?”

”From what I've gathered Charisma is like a base stat, and your appearance itself is a multiplier. So, depending on your taste, my small scar, for example, would be minus 1% or plus 1% to whatever my Charisma is.”

”So, you would look better than most human women when you wear a ball gown…” Kara sighed. Rainer didn't look particularly feminine either, so it'd be a strange sight for him to be considered attractive as a crossdresser because of his obscene Charisma.

”Hmm, probably. I could likely even gain 200 pounds and you'd still find me deeply attractive.”

”Don't subject me to such a confusing and terrible situation,” Kara responded.

Talvara sunk into thought for a moment as Rainer and Kara went further into their own conversation, before realizing this was most certainly not what she was here for.

”Well then, shall you show me [Void-travelling] by Aura?”

At the end of the session, Rainer brought Sarah in so she could use the skill in a safe environment as well. Neither her nor Kara had issues in the matter. The next morning, Rainer spent much of the day getting Sarah set on enchantments, a thankfully less awkward procedure with his leveled skill, focusing on both the speed and Void-step enchantments, deciding to do the rest when they had more time. Next came Kara's own Void-step.

Several hours later, they reached the capital. Looking out at the horizon, they saw numerous ships docking and setting sail from the huge port. The City itself went from stilted buildings over the water all the way up the side of an oddly shaped mountain where a large palace of white stone sat.

The small mountain itself had a giant crescent hole cut out of the side of it. If the broken Souls from earlier didn't confirm the presence of Dragons here long ago, that certainly did.

They left the raft far outside the city, and then Rainer Void-walked them inside due to various issues with their party. Whether that be Kara's eyes or the fact they had two mages in a city whose leader was known for killing them. Thankfully, no one inside seemed bothered much by them, and if anything Rainer received far less reverence as a Magus here than anywhere else.

Their money was accepted just the same at the expensive Inn they found.

Rainer spent an hour in [Sleep Learning] and an hour in reality enchanting the clothes they bought for Lilia to be as strong as possible. It included pants and a shirt along with a cloak to cover her, though she insisted on still wearing the violet mage's robe Luna made for her over it. Thankfully, Luna could make it thinner than clothes could truly be, and the heat wasn't an issue.

Now having left the Inn they stayed at, they decided to go and visit one of the focal points of the Capital, and they had bought supplies along the way.

”I'm surprised you're so okay with this,” Kara said.

Rainer shrugged, ”I just really don't see any danger in it.”

After learning about the dungeon that was a large part of this city's economy, both Kara and Sarah became interested in challenging it.

”I can see why he wouldn't be worried,” Sarah said, thinking of Kara's strength differences when she had free to access her Demon-half.

With it being late at night, Rainer Void-walked the group multiple times until they found themselves coming out of an alley and walking towards the massive structure that housed both dungeons.

The Wolf King's Capital was partially based on the two dungeons at its center. Both were technically a part of the same building with the level 25 Tier 1 Dungeon being the first floor of a two story coliseum, and the level 10 Tier 2 Dungeon being on the second.

Apart from serving as a place for those strong enough to farm for experience and the rarely rewarded items, the boss of the first of the five stage lesser Dungeon was a popular delicacy. With its blood also commonly used for various face and skin creams among the upper-class as well as in exports.

The various other monsters were sold as regular food, making the dungeon not only a good leveling spot but a place of employment for anyone stuck at level 25 of the first tier but not yet ready to advance.

”Plus, you'll get the small party bonus,” Rainer added.

With Tiamat as the familiar of Kara, they were technically a 5-man party and therefore enjoyed the bonuses for such a thing. While they wouldn't receive the first completion bonus, of course, the small party one at least partially made up for it.

Rainer had very little worry even if it was Kara taking on the entire dungeon by herself, let alone the six of them.

Even if one ignored the fact she had the racial strength and bonuses of a Demon, she also had dual classes, both rare, putting her at about the level of a Tier 2 level 5 individual with a rare class. Assuming, he used the difference between [Arcanist] and [Archon] as a base measure. Add on her inborn Demon strength, furthermore her transformation, and it perfectly illustrated why Demons weren't allowed in Natural-borne Dungeons.

”And if you're honest about it, I think it's safer in a Dungeon full of monsters than out here,” Sarah said to Rainer, who had no choice but to agree. Given past events, he did actually feel it was safer in a Dungeon.

”Ah, I'll need some spending money while I'm here,” Rainer said, grinning at Sarah who begrudgingly gave him half of the silver they had.

”That's for the whole time we're here,” She added pointedly.

With Luna already casting the party spell on them back in the Inn, they only stopped by the Hunter's Guild to read a free primer on the Dungeon itself.

The rank 3 Dungeon, for level 25 Tier 1 and below, was divided into 5 stages of 12 waves of monsters each in an arena-style environment. Given the similarity to Roman architecture, Rainer wondered if there was any connection. Each wave took the time to slay the monsters on top of a 2-hour break between. Though one could use the pedestal in the center of the arena to call the next wave earlier.

”We'll take our time, and leave based on how it's going. I'd like to try the whole thing if possible.”

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”Who's in charge of guarding Lilia and Tiamat?” Rainer asked. Tiamat actually had quite a bit of natural defense if his [Arcane Revelation] eyes weren't lying.

”I shall, Sorcerer,” Gunthar then added, ”Apart from my lack of exhaustion, I can fly using the Fairy's Soul I possess.”

”Agreed.”

After several more minutes of reading over the information on the Dungeon, the party went forth, sans Rainer.

Rainer walked back from the dungeon by himself, Gunthar would let him know through their semi-familiar bond when they were done.

Walking the streets, he wondered just what he should do with his time. [Sleep Learning] wasn't an option as his only current defense was Jor, who seemed to be still working on digesting whatever it is he consumed from part of that Divinity.

Rainer walked into the first inn he saw, he figured he might as well ask around and try to find an etiquette teacher he was after. As well as some possible information on how he could meet with anyone from the royal family. He wanted to avoid the Inn they were staying at, just in case.

But Kara's golden eyes didn't really make her lineage as clear as they thought. After all, traits could skip generations and the Spatial Ring could have even been stolen by someone who failed to become an heir and set up a family elsewhere. There were too many variables. All they could do is see how they would react to someone like Kara.

In truth, Rainer thought over the plans to escape as easily as possible if they claimed ownership over Kara, as royalty do for much of history, as opposed to seeing her as family. In fact, he was starting to realize that this may not be the best of ideas. He hoped he could at least convince Kara to be as cautious as possible about it.

He walked up to the bartender of what seemed to be a decently popular Inn. Being near to the Dungeon, it seemed many of its residents also participated in delving into its depths.

But Rainer paid the numerous people between level 20 and 25 no mind.

”Can I help you, Magus?”

Said Magus ignored the mocking tone and went about his questions after placing several silver coins on the counter. Said Magus also did his best not to laugh aloud at how quickly his joking tone turned to bright-eyed acceptance.

”I'm looking for an etiquette teacher. Would you know where I can better my search?”

Rainer cringed a bit as he saw the man clearly holding in the laughter of his own. But it seemed the silver won over, even if he couldn't hide the amusement in his voice.

”Etiquette...this isn't the North, Magus.”

Rainer left the inn after asking all the questions he could think of that a common citizen should know. The man had nearly laughed at Rainer's question because there were no real guaranteed hereditary lords, apart from the Royal family. Even they ruled based on strength and it wouldn't be the first time a King had a race change. If any noble family produced an heir that wasn't up to proper standards, they could easily lose their lands in as little as a single generation. This meant there wasn't truly time for a proper etiquette to establish as a large portion of the nobility were often first or second generation.

If there was etiquette, it would be among the numerous viceroys and governors who did the true ruling while the stronger lords, that raked in the benefits, likely had no skills or interest in anything like that. Oftentimes these positions would be hereditary with parents training their children in governance, training that was difficult for any upstart to compete with, and proper behaviors. Whereas Lords only cared if their children would pass the second tier Trial.

Of course, that didn't mean there wasn't etiquette, simply that it didn't exist in an official sense. There wasn't a proper way to bow or to eat dinner. Rather it was purely a matter of culture, Rainer guessed. And that made it all the more difficult to learn. Precisely because there was no formal way to greet a Lord or a King in the Dragon Isles, it became a challenging matter. Bowing was a safe bet, but Rainer had no interest in appearing lesser to any Lord or King, as that would run contrary to his goal and imply he was, in fact, lesser in power.

The capital itself was a bastion of trade due to not only the influx of goods from the two Dungeons, the stronger of which had its own tradeable goods, but also because of the mountain turned crescent and its numerous and varied resources. From metal that surpassed even enchanted steel, to various fungi and herbs helpful in not only Aura training but for mages as well. Rainer guessed much of the Mana potions now in his Spatial Ring were actually made from some of the things grown here.

Though, the best of that was reserved for royalty and higher members of the military. And he doubted they'd let go of anything truly great for Mages no matter the prices offered.

Moving through the city, Rainer found himself distracted for a moment as a sound entered his ears tinged with the tiniest bit of magic. It was nowhere near what he was capable of even back when he first learned [Arcane Sound Infusion], but it intrigued him nonetheless.

Around the corner was a street performer with a minor amount of Mana.

[Wolfkin, Male, Magic Warrior lvl 11]

[Title: Sword User]

The music was great, but the method intrigued Rainer beyond anything else. Compared to when he used [Arcane Sound Infusion], this man used Mana in such a way as to work in harmony rather than amplification.

Mana influenced every single note on the man's lute-like instrument. The mana itself, however, seemed to follow a different note to the one he played. Creating an odd effect where it was as if more than one instrument played. And said odd effect created a magnificent melody.

Rainer carefully listened to every strum of a string as he watched the scene with [Arcane Revelation], paying no mind to the other listeners he frightened. Mana seemed to fill every part of the lute and made use of natural pathways of the wood.

He stayed for a few more minutes before dropping a few silvers into the hat in front of the Wolfkin. He disappeared into a Void-walk before the man even noticed who placed the coins in.

Rainer went directly into his Inn room. Playing around with a string made of [Arcane Weaving], his recent experience prompted him to start trying to make a guitar once more. In the back of his mind, he wondered over any sort of applications for the use of Mana he just witnessed.

”There is no need to pout, it shall be your turn next time,” Gunthar spoke to Sarah as the party left the Dungeon. They had only gone up to the third stage as planned, though the time they took was far from planned. Sarah hadn't thought it possible, but she had underestimated Kara once again.

”Who's bright idea was it anyways to let Kara have the first turn?” Sarah asked. They had later agreed to work in two groups with the other recovering and protecting Lilia and Tiamat. Not that the little Dragon needed any help. Sarah, Luna, and Gunthar were in one group and Kara in the other. Though, the Half-Demon still received buffs from Luna.

”Yours. And technically, it'd still be my turn. After all, we may have left after completing the Third Stage, but I never took a break,” Kara chimed in.

”No way, it's ours next.”

”Luna agrees with Kara, it isn't fair to take other's turns, She-Rainer,” The fairy chimed in, though currently she cast a glamour that made her appear as a red-haired warrior clad in leather armor.

”That nickname doesn't really work,” She had cycled through many of them during the Dungeon, and this was sadly one of the better ones, ”And you just don't want to participate.”

”Luna will neither confirm nor deny.”

”Your way of talking doesn't really fit your current form you know…” Sarah complained. The 30-year-old sultry looking warrior that Luna appeared as made talking to her quite strange. Her attention switched to Kara as she just remembered the Wolfkin and the Fairy had both forgotten something. But, as to not draw attention to them, she waited until they exited the small walled area around the Dungeon.

”Kara,” She harshly whispered, ”You forgot to cover your eyes.”

Kara's eyes widened in realization before Luna moved next to her to cover them in a Glamour. The original gold turned brown.

”Do you think anyone saw?”

”If they did, they didn't act like it.”

Rainer Void-walked into a nearby alley shortly after a small ping from Gunthar's familiar bond noted him of their exit.

”How'd it go?” He asked as he walked up to the group. Their clothes, lacking any ruffles, made it hard to believe they had been in a Dungeon at all. Lilia sat on the undead's shoulders reading a book and Tiamat's head now peaked out from Gunthar's neck. It made Rainer wonder if Gunthar literally protected the small dragon with his body. His brief thought of if Lilia could fit in there too was interrupted by his sister.

”Ask your selfish girlfriend,” Sarah grumbled to his surprise. He certainly wouldn't use selfish to describe Kara.

”We made it up to stage 3 pretty easily, we'll try and push all the way next time and then have Sarah change classes,” Kara answered.

”What'd she mean by selfish?” The idea of them safely leveling some subclasses certainly appealed to him. Especially since while [Manabourne] had nice skills from the store, its actual stats, which were just a drop of water in Sarah's already large pool, were quite poor.

”We were taking turns fighting. And it turned out easier than expected.”

”So no one got a turn but you?” Rainer smiled. It seemed his estimate of Kara being able to beat it alone needed to have the word easily added to it.

”She forgot to cover her eyes in a glamour though,” Sarah grumbled after seeing the wolfkin's tail sway after Rainer started scratching her ears.

Kara turned a bit red and Luna, of course, didn't pay any attention to the accusation that was partly landing on her.

”Do you think anyone saw?”

”I don't think so, the guards were pretty far, and it is decently dark. I'll make sure to remind Einstein here next time.”

Rainer, enjoying Kara's blushing that didn't happen as often as it used to, opted to help his sister get a little revenge for the Wolfkin's teasing last night.

”This little fugitive also didn't bother to change her name.”

”Really?”

”She also got a bounty put on her shortly after becoming the said fugitive for an unrelated reason,” Not that he minded the reason for that bounty given their current status.

Sarah's giggling further sent Kara blushing much to Rainer's joy as he put an arm around the embarrassed Wolfkin.

”Come on, I'll make you guys a bath before we head to bed. It's good we got rooms on the first floor.”

”Luna gets to go in first,” The fairy added, hanging off to Rainer's untaken side.

Rainer noted her glamour made it feel like something large pressed into his arm. Illusion and Mind-type magics were always impressive to him. Especially the one that made him wander into a forest despite his old fear of getting lost in such places.

”Make a bath…” Sarah intoned dangerously, ”And you never made one for me before because?”

”Off we go then,” He said, completely ignoring her as he led the group to an alley and Void-walked them away.