Chapter 385 (2/2)

That was the other problem with being here, everyone treated him like he could do no wrong. People didn’t stand up to him, they just listened to him. Other than Lyra, but after recovering, she seemed unable to speak, and stayed shut up in a small room, even while continuing to give Classes and allow Donny to purchase buildings. Which was slightly suspicious, but…

Like everything else, a question for another time.

Being treated this way didn’t come without consequences. Already, Randidly could feel his petulance, and his stubborn insistence of his own way. And he was 100% sure that his way was the correct one, and would yield the best results for both himself, and for Thea… but… he supposed that it wasn’t his job to correct other people’s mistakes. They could make their own choices.

But if those choices endangered the lives of others-

“I… I think that Alana told me… the best sort of Skill is a general one.” Thea said, her voice uncharacteristically squeaking as she nervously looked at Randidly. It was strange, listening to her. Suddenly, you would think that she had forgotten all the times they had fought together, like it was nothing. Like they vanished like ghosts.

“So… I want to upgrade my Combat Proficiency. A Stat would likely make me more immediately powerful, but I don’t think… I don’t think it would be too ridiculous. Meanwhile, a Class… my growth will probably increase, but I’m already Level 28… I missed a lot of that growth already.” Thea was finding her voice now, and she began to speak more quickly. “But a Skill… a Skill would benefit me now, and it would probably grow with me, more powerful, faster.”

“And also!” She stammered, her eyes almost pleading as she looked at him. “The System loves specificity, correct? A Skill can do that, leading to a Path, leading to more Skills, to a whole branching growth. On my own… I don’t think I can find that. But with this chance… I have a vision. A strong image. Specific. And with it…”

Her head fell to her chest, and Thea spoke the final words to the floor. “I can be strong….too.”

Sighing, Randidly said nothing for at least 30 seconds, simply closing his eyes and feeling the air around him. The Mana Engraving on the Cathedral was humming, gathering a portion of the Aether that Randidly had released, making the Aether here extremely thick. To his surprise, both Neveah and Lucretia remained silent, letting him think in peace.

The other people in the Cathedral, too, said nothing, but from Mrs. Hamilton's smug seeming silence, Randidly could tell that she already knew what his answer would be. Once he was aware of it, there was no way that he would overturn Thea’s decision. Perhaps he would have stubbornly argued with her, before she had make her stance so clear, thinking he was convincing her, but basically just railroading her, but…

This turn of events made him feel helpless. He was a man who was currently experiencing a large amount of stress based upon his inability to control his destiny. Instead, he was forced to rely on Lucretia and Neveah. Although it would be a simple thing to take that out on Thea, forcing his will on her, Randidly… resisted that.

“Okay.” He said simply. “Then let’s begin.”

Without Randidly opening himself and spreading Aether, this time through was more of the same. This time, however, a Skill slid out of her chest, and was surrounded by the Aether apparatus. Again, a small singularity of Aether was formed, much less hungry than the previous one, and absorbed Aether for several long minutes, before the old Skill sank into it, was rewritten, and exploded as something new.

If nothing else, even Randidly could notice a pattern in the amount of Aether used, and the way it was absorbed. He could also see how the System apparatus would influence other Aether, while being made of Aether itself, which was one of the concrete problems involved. If they solved that, it would be that much easier, at least in terms of the manipulation. But that was half of the battle.

The other half was the planning, and after examining so many Classers, both Neveah and Lucretia had an idea on how the Class was created. All they needed was to prepare the Aether, and to carefully let it take shape. They had watched people gain Classes, but they seemed to spring, fully formed, onto a person. Perhaps that was just the Village Spirit version of the Aether singularity, and it was very difficult to witness a Class getting created.

That thought made Randidly’s hackles rise. So he would just need to be lucky…

“What’s the upgraded version of the Skill?” Mrs. Hamilton asked.

Thea was blushing. For several seconds she didn’t speak. Everyone paused, noticing her, and how she was behaving. Thea’s blush deepened. She muttered something unintelligible.

“What?” Randidly asked, somewhat bitter. If they had wasted this chance…

“M-m-my Combat proficiency is now… is now… Dance of the Ghostbear ®...” Thea muttered.

Ghost….bear….? Which almost seemed like it was based on….

“What were you… imagining when you were upgrading your Skill, Thea?” Mrs. Hamilton said, her wicked smile clear in her voice. Thea’s blush made her head look like a tomato.