The Soulmancer’s Ascension

Zephyr crossed the threshold into the town. An open area lay a few feet ahead of the main gate, where carriages were gathered—the same carriages Zephyr saw outside the town, and they unironically belonged to Guildmaster Xander.

His prediction was on point.

[New skill learned: Intuition. Awareness +1]

[Hidden attribute unlocked: Awareness.]

He got rewarded for his meaningless prediction. He checked the new skill’s description.

[Intuition (Bronze) (Passive): You can piece together details in your mind by sensing, feeling, and instinct. The effectiveness of Intuition is directly dependent on your Awareness attribute.]

‘What’s awareness stat?’

[Awareness governs your ability to perceive the world through the five senses.]

If his understanding was right, he just gained the supernatural ability to comprehend things by using his senses, feeling, and instincts.

“Sherine, I just unlocked a hidden stat.”

Sherine’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Tell me more.”

He proudly shared everything with her. She smiled broadly and patted his back, seemingly prouder of his achievement than he was.

Zephyr finally took a look at the town. Brick buildings stood eave to eave, like a scene straight from the Middle Ages Europe. Men in tunic and women in old dresses roamed the stone-paved streets. Majority were human with a few elves mixed in.

“It’s fantastic,” Sherine muttered.

The two stood there, admiring the scenery for a long minute, feeling like they crossed over to an entirely different place.

“How will we deal with Xander?” Sherine asked, clutching his hand. “I… I want to punch him.”

“We’ll do it as a last measure.”

Xander was a guild master with direct connections to Lady Achmea and many more. Killing him would quite literally mark them as a criminal. He could use the Guildmaster’s name to stay clear from ruffians.

Eric regrouped with them and led them down the gentle slope road. They passed multiple shops, one of which was a famous brothel named ‘Maria Brothel.’ Drake’s recommended inn was a stone-walled sprawling two-storey building with a clean reception table and the dining area on the first floor. Zephyr loved the peaceful atmosphere.

Eric escorted them to the innkeeper lady before leaving in a hurry. Zephyr managed to convince the lady to give him their best room at twenty copper coins for a week, all three meals included. It was a good deal for the young man who ransacked the coins from his enemies.

The room was clean and the furniture sturdy. The large bed with neat blue bed sheets seemed rather comfortable. He took a seat and satiated his thirst with loud gulps of cold water.

“I am sorry.” Sherine’s sudden apology almost choked him.

“What was that for?”

Sherine looked down, avoiding eye contact. “I did… I blocked Veronica’s mana with my divinity…”

She slowly recited her prank in a pitiful voice. Creating troubles was never her goal but she made a big mess on her first day in Gallowind Town.

“This anti-magic constitution is a fluke?”

Sherine affirmed with a meek nod. She inherited magic resistance from her father who used to be the king of fairies before he inherited the God of Afterlife position.

Zephyr burst into laughter. The whole ruckus was for literally nothing. Here he was worried Sherine might have received some unique talent from the world as a blessing.

“You’re a real menace. Haaah, I haven’t laughed like this for ages.”

“You’re welcome?”

“Why did you do it though? You aren’t the type to mess with others over nothing.”

“She insulted you.”

“...”

“I refuse to let it slide!”

Zephyr smirked. “You like me that much?”

“M-M—”

The thought cut off at the crucial moment. Sherine planted her ass on the bed, her gaze deliberately avoiding Zephyr. She almost blurted out her real thoughts, which would’ve created more problems for her champion.

A hand brushed through her hair, gentle and caring, reminiscent of her mother’s touch. Dark memories of her mother threatened to rise back up, and she slammed them back down. She focused on the affection behind his hand.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“What question?” she played dumb. “I don’t remember any question.”

Zephyr smirked. “This is how you want to play?”

He used his secret technique and slid his arm around her. She threw him an inquisitive glance, only to wince when a gentle stroke met the side of her stomach.

Her face twitched. Another passionate caress tore down her control. Grinning, Zephyr continued stroking the sensitive sides of his half dragoness companion. She wriggled in his grasp and helplessly giggled under teasing tickles.

The heat she felt in the morning coursed through her, making her squirm even more. The air turned drier, and the temperature climbed a couple degrees.

Zephyr stopped and called Sherine out on her feverish heat. Knock! Knock! Two heavy raps on the door intervened before he received the answer.

Sherine leaned on him and breathed heavily.

“Hey, you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she trailed her words in a not-so-fine way.

Another knock resounded. Sherine nudged him to open the door. Skeptical, he let her lie on the bed and opened the door.

“Eric?”

Eric scratched his cheeks as if he could read the annoyance on Zephyr’s face. “I’m sorry. Sir Drake is calling for you.”

Zephyr furrowed his brows. “Tell him to come here. I’m not his subordinate.”

He closed the door on Eric’s face and turned back. He caught Sherine’s figure fading into the Dimensional Door. She slammed the door shut before he followed her.

“Hey, where did you go?”

Zephyr stared at the closed Dimensional Door. Did he go far in teasing Sherine?

“What did you do to her?” Riven asked in a cold voice. “She is ignoring me. I can’t look into the house either.”

“Can’t you read my thoughts?”

“I can’t do it from here.”

Riven’s mind reading had restrictions.

Zephyr tossed Riven’s threatening voice to the back of his head. The concern for Sherine gnawed at his mind. He lied down and waited for Sherine. 

After what felt like hours, the ancient door creaked, and the half dragoness stepped out in a plain gray dress. If her wet hair and glowing face were anything to go by, she came straight out of bath.

“What happened?”

Sherine went wide-eyed. His deep concern for her health was a new thing. “That dress was uncomfortable… I took it off.”

She avoided direct eye contact and fiddled with her fingers. Her mind was a mess after extinguishing the rampant fire with cold water. She had to consult Riven about the recurring phenomenon.

Zephyr narrowed his gaze. As the spoiled princess of a god, she never had to lie or trick others. Even a toddler could beat her in trickery. Still, he didn’t bring it up.

“Sit here.”

Sherine sat by his side. Her fresh scent distracted Zephyr’s mind, forcing him to rely on his focus skill. He touched her forehead. She was warm but not to the point of being sick.

“You should rest a bit.”

The sun might have gotten to her, or it could be the effect of being in a new environment. A rest might help her even if she was a dragon or a goddess.

Sherine obediently slipped under the blanket and gazed at him. He was just a mortal, but he treated her, a goddess, like she was his family. A pleasant warm flooded her chest when she recalled his concerned look.

Zephyr delayed his plan of checking out the Hunter Society. Whatever happened to Sherine couldn’t be comprehended even with his new skill.

A bang on the door sounded, followed by a shout.

“Oi, Zephyr. Open the door before I raze this building to the ground.”

For a moment Zephyr thought about not opening the door. Did Drake have the guts to back up his words?