Edit (23.06.2026) — Rewrote most of the chapter, since there is no way the guards would've let Naofumi leave the castle. Instead of Shield Bro, Alister finds someone else to tag along for grinding xp.
I sat on a lavish armchair, staring at the floating window.
Professions were crucial to min-maxing a character, but things seemed to work a bit different with this ‘system.’
The biggest thing? I couldn’t see any of the gathering professions, which, okay, made sense. This wasn’t a game—even if circumstances tempted me to think otherwise—so I’d have to gather materials like a normal person.
I could live with that.
I sank deeper into the chair with a sigh and scrolled back to the top of the page. This was another weird thing. In the game, you had to walk up to specific trainers to learn a profession. But here? I already had all the icons showing up in my interface.
Which technically meant that I knew all of them. But…
Focusing on the familiar-looking icon, I brought up another window, mouth quirking wryly.
Jewelcrafting. [0/???]
The rest of the page was as barren as my field of fucks after spending a few hours in a world without indoor plumbing.
Absolutely zero fucking recipes.
So, I could theoretically learn anything from any of these professions, though I had to figure it out on my own. Trial and probably a lot of error.
Another sigh escaped me. Great…
Guess I had to focus on two or three professions at most.
I wanted to do all of them, but without at least some recipes to get things rolling… I’d be spreading myself too thin. Jack of all trades, master of none.
This wasn’t Skyrim. Most professions were useless in WoW until you maxed them out. Maybe it was different now that shit got real, but I still had to pick a niche for the time being.
I crossed my legs, drumming my fingers on my knee.
So…
Jewelcrafting and Enchanting.
Magical bling was a must have for any self-respecting Warlocks, and Enchanting was plain bullshit at max level.
Hopefully, getting the recipes wouldn’t be too much of a pain in the ass. Enchanting, I could understand being a headache. All magical mumbo jumbo and weird stuff. But Jewelcrafting? That was just making shinies to bling yourself up like a pimp.
Making a ring shouldn’t be that hard. Just shape some metal, add a gem, and presto. If this was anything like the game, copper should be the first on the menu. Copper wire for the basic stuff, then bronze, iron, and so on.
My lips pursed, fingers tapping a steady rhythm.
So… copper wire?
Maybe I could commission a smith instead of having to make it myself?
I was no expert but turning copper into wire probably needed a forge. Copper might be malleable, but no way I could shape that into something so thin without heating it first.
Unless the system let me cheat around it?
My eyes flickered back to the crafting window, taking in the barren panel.
Yeah, thought so.
A harsh puff of air escaped through my nose.
But how was I supposed to get these stupid recipes? Just thinking about it obviously didn’t work. Did I have to get all the materials first?
Or were there no shortcuts at all?
An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. I hoped not. Having to do all the fine work on my own would suck. Making jewelry sounded easy on paper, but I knew nothing about cutting gems and shit. I didn’t even know what special tools I needed to make jewelry.
A frown pulled at the corner of my lips as I kept staring at the blank page. Sighing, I dismissed the window.
Guess this crafting thing was harder than I expected. Maybe I could find a jeweler around castle town to help me out…
Whatever. I’d worry about that tomorrow.
I pulled up my character page and went again over the numbers. I’d stopped playing the game a while ago, so I wasn’t up to speed with the ‘retail’ but even I could tell that my ‘status’ didn’t look the same as I remembered.
The first thing that caught my eye was the different gear limit.
The armor slots looked the same, but the weapon slot had sliders, and the accessories now took half the friggin’ page.
Ten ring slots?
It made sense since I had ten fingers, but this was a little crazy. You only had four accessory slots in game for a good reason. The magical bling had some of the craziest effects out there.
And there was the matter about stats, too. Some of them just straight up didn’t exist, like spirit and the secondary stuff. And the rest… how’d they even work? Would more Strength make me look like a Pillar Man overnight, or just let me hit harder through some reality warping bullshit? What about Intellect? Would it straight up raise my IQ or just make me ‘smarter’?
I dismissed the window with a sigh. Guess I’ll find out later.
Even if these stats worked the same as in game, having a ‘system’ was better than not having one. Especially in a lame ass JRPG world like this one.
I took a glance at the bed, studying it for a moment, only to snort and shake my head. Nope, not happening. My mind was awhirl with thoughts that buzzed in my head like an angry beehive, excitement coiling in my stomach like a python. I knew this feeling all too well, and I wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon.
I mean, what self-respecting gamer went to sleep right after character creation at the start of a new server? I had to get a leg up on the competition, or my game experience would be utterly ruined.
Sitting up from my comfy chair, I fished out my phone, opened up the inventory, and stashed the useless brick in my backpack. Until I figured out electricity, it would stay there. I also had to find some extra bags—those sixteen slots weren’t going to last me forever—but that wasn’t important right now.
I had to grind some levels. Warlocks played the game on easy mode, and who needed sleep anyway? I didn’t. I needed xp.
My stomach churned in excitement as I idly checked my Spellbook. I couldn’t wait to set some shit on fire.
But first…
I walked to the door, slowly opening it and peeking in the dark hallway. Smiling, I stepped out and made my way further down the hall, lightly knocking on the wooden door in front of me.
The three stooges were probably a lost cause, but the Shield Bro needed a heads-up. I wasn’t going to let him go in this blindly. Canon could choke on a twelve-inch demon dick. Warlocks were natural born rascals.
There was a shuffling of feet on the other side and then silence.
Really, dude?
“Room service, sir,” I spoke into the door, voice loud enough to carry and in the most obnoxious Indian accent I could muster.
Moments later, the door finally creaked open, Naofumi peeking through the gap like a surly cat woken up from its nap.
“Ah, it’s you.” Nice to see you, too, buddy.
A snort escaped me as he fully opened the door. “What were you expecting? A sexy, older maid with glasses?”
I certainly wouldn’t mind one, but maybe not today. Today was the day for gains.
A flash of something crossed his face as he averted his eyes.
Oh? Did Shield Bro have a type? Then again, who didn’t have a fantasy about the hot maid archetype at some point in their lives?
My mouth twitched with a teasing smile. “Don’t worry, Shieldmeister. This castle has plenty of hot maids to pick from.”
Or so I hoped.
I mean, this was a huge medieval castle. They’d need an army of servants to clean it. I would be surprised if most of them weren’t female.
Naofumi let out a quiet sigh, trying to look affronted, despite how the tips of his ears were coloring in embarrassment. “You gonna come in or what?”
Man, this guy was like a whole different person before those Diddy allegations. I low-key liked him more like this. Red-pilled Naofumi was kinda edgy. And that was coming from the guy with all the fire and demons.
“Sure,” I said, walking inside as he closed the door behind me. “I actually dropped by to give you a heads up.”
Naofumi’s room was almost identical to mine, save for the slightly different furniture arrangement.
“A heads up?” he asked, brow furrowing slightly as he perked up. “About what?”
I walked up to one of the chairs and took a seat, Naofumi going all the way to his bed and plopping himself down, shoulders tense and posture oddly stiff. Was he seriously afraid of me?
“I heard some interesting stuff while wandering around.”
Utter bullshit, but who was going to prove otherwise?
“And you came to tell me?” he said, a strange note in his tone as he eyed me warily.
The three stooges came from much different Earths, but this guy picked up most of my references so far. He knew.
“Yeah, but before that,” I pointed a finger at him, smiling cheekily. “You know where my power comes from, don’t you? That’s why you’re so tense.”
Naofumi went still. His eyes widened a fraction, though he stayed silent. After a few awkward moments of silence, he finally found his voice. “Is it really the same power?”
“Didn’t you feel those bad juju vibes when I showed them some Shadow?”
“I did, but…” He shook his head. “This is way too crazy…”
I shrugged. “It is what it is.”
It didn’t feel unpleasant on my end, so the ‘system’ must’ve had my back in that regard. I didn’t have to worry about getting diddled by the Void Lords. Or maybe not until I stepped foot in the WoW-verse, which would be fine. I wasn’t too keen on visiting that place, even though the thought of clapping some draenei cheeks tempted me a little.
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned? I know the lore. That power is way too dangerous to just—”
“Dude, chill.” I held up a hand, giving Shield Bro a reassuring smile. “I’m not gonna summon demons and shit. I’m not stupid. This place already has a doomsday scenario to deal with. I’m not giving them the Burning Legion on top of that.”
Which was honestly disappointing. I couldn’t play my favorite build because it would open the path to Apocalypse 2: Electric Boogaloo. Fucking lame.
He didn’t look like he fully believed me, but whatever. He’d come around eventually.
“Wanna go grind some levels?” I flashed Naofumi a chipper smile, getting a confused blink in return.
“What?”
I sat up and threw a thumb over my shoulder. “Let’s go kill some monsters, bro. I wanna get that level ten at least.”
Naofumi kept staring, face utterly blank. “Have you checked the time?”
Eh. I shrugged. Wasn’t even midnight yet.
My smile widened. “That means there’s less competition.”
Trying to get anything done in a MMO during peak hours was a true test of patience. Any self-respecting gamer knew that late night grinding was the only way to stay relevant in the early game.
Unless they were playing some Korean pay-to-win gameshit.
“Are you serious?”
“Totally.” I nodded, pausing as I remembered something. “By the way,” I said, voice lowering. “You should fly solo for now and look for trustworthy companions on your own.”
Naofumi blinked at the abrupt shift in mood, his brows furrowing. “Why?”
I looked him in the eye for a moment before sighing.
“I’ve snooped around a little, and it turns out this place isn’t really a fan of the shield hero.”
A beat of silence passed as he digested the words, his frown deepening. “What do you mean?”
“Their religion is the church of the three heroes. That should tell you enough,” I said, drawing a grimace from him. “Also, this kingdom was at war in the past with another nation who worships the shield hero.”
“What?” A flash of disbelief crossed his face. “Then why did they summon me? Even the king looked like he had a problem with me.”
“Who knows.” I shrugged. “Maybe that’s how the summoning spell works? Or maybe there’s a conspiracy going in the background? We can only guess.”
Naofumi stood up with a sigh, briefly eyeing the door. “That’s a lot to take in.”
“You have plenty of time to digest everything while we murder the local fauna,” I said with a shrug, and he frowned, giving me an odd look.
“You’re really stubborn.”
“Yeah, but, come on, man.” I gave him a knowing look, mouth twitching with a smile. “Don’t you wanna start the grind early and get a leg up on those three losers? I bet they made fun of you for not even having a weapon.”
Naofumi paused, his frown deepening. He went silent, mulling it over, before shaking his head with a sigh. “I still don’t think we should go anywhere at this hour. We’ll have plenty of time starting tomorrow.”
Lame.
I mean, fair. But still lame.
“Alright.” I shrugged. “I get you.” Then a smile came to my face. “But I’m still going.”
He shook his head again, lips pulling with an exasperated line. “Just be careful. There might be bears around here.”
Pfft. Bears.
Yogi ain’t got shit on my Felfire.
“If Fear works the way I hope, I only need one spell.”
A snort escaped him. “Warlocks.”
I chuckled, lifting my arms in a ‘what can you do’ gesture. Then I glanced at the door. “Anyway, I’ll be off. Come see me when you wake up. I’ll save some loot for you.”
Naofumi stood there for a moment, expression softening. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t sweat it man. You’re the party tank.” I grinned. “You’ll pay me back by holding aggro.”
Another snort escaped him. “And here I thought you were just being nice.”
“Who says it can’t be both?”
I held out an arm, hand clenched. Naofumi eyed it for a moment, then did the same, and we bumped fists.
“Thanks again.”
“See ya.”
And with that, I turned around and left the room.
Guess I was flying solo for tonight.
<[]>
Easier said than done, though…
The castle corridors looked a little creepy at night. Sparse lanterns hung along the walls, throwing little pools of orange that barely reached the opposite side. Moonlight picked up the slack, spilling through the tall windows in pale slabs that painted the floor like a grid.
I kept my pace easy, hands at my side, scanning every hallway I passed.
A guard kept an eye on the stairwell behind me, and I'd spotted another one leaning on his spear near the servants' entrance. None of them stopped me so far, but leaving the castle was a different beast.
I needed a plan to actually get outside. I kinda doubted they'd just let me waltz out on a stroll without a good enough reason.
A shame that Shield Bro didn't join, but thinking about it now, bringing him along would've been a bad idea anyway. The guards probably had orders to keep him somewhere in sight, and I would've brought way too much heat on my ass if I tried to sneak him out.
I had much better chances on my own. I just needed to figure out how.
I turned a corner, passing under an archway into a wider hallway. The stone walls had some faded tapestries hanging between the windows, threads gone pale with age, depicting battles and a bunch of figures that were probably important. One of them had a dragon on it. Or maybe a wyvern. Hard to tell with how many types of dragons existed out there—
My head swiveled to the side, brows soaring up as I passed a painting with a familiar looking woman sitting on a chair. Purple hair, fair skin, and a fancy red gown.
Damn. The Queen was hot.
The sound of footsteps reached my ears from somewhere up ahead, and my eyes darted back up ahead as I slowed. A warm glow bled around the corner at the far end of the hallway, growing brighter as the footsteps drew closer.
A moment later, a young-looking guy rounded the corner—chainmail over a padded tunic, a sword sheathed at his hip, and a lantern in his right hand. The light swayed with each step, his shadow stretching long across the floor behind him.
He noticed me at about the same time I noticed him.
His steps slowed, boots clinking as he came to a stop, and the lantern lifted a fraction higher, throwing the light across my face. His eyes went wide after a moment, and his posture snapped straight like a bowstring.
"Sir hero!"
"Hello there." I smiled as an idea took shape in my head. "You wouldn't happen to be part of the garrison, would you?"
He blinked at the question and paused. "I am." His boots clicked together as he stood at attention, the lantern swinging at his side from the sudden movement. "Knight Ake at your service, sir."
Ake? Didn't ring a bell.
"Is there something you need help with?"
Then again, I only remembered like half the cast, and most of them were hot chicks, so maybe it was a 'me' problem.
I waved a hand at him, palm down. "Don't be so formal, Ake. It's just the two of us here."
He stayed ramrod straight for another beat, then his shoulders dropped a bit, and the stiffness bled out of his posture. "Apologies, sir hero."
"Such a well-mannered lad." I smiled wider. "I feel safer knowing brave knights like you are keeping the castle under close watch."
A flush crept up from beneath his chainmail collar, reaching his ears. His gaze dipped to the floor for a split second before it came back up. "I'm just doing my duty, sir."
"Patrolling the castle?"
"Yes." He nodded. "I've just finished my guard shift."
How fortunate.
"In that case, perhaps you could help me with something?"
"Of course, sir hero. I'll do anything I can."
What a nice guy.
"I've been trying to fall asleep earlier, but it appears I'm too excited about tomorrow." I gestured at the nearest window. Not even a lie. "I was thinking that a stroll outside to the plains and killing some balloons might help. Could you join me for a while?"
What self-respecting gamer slept when a new server just opened?
Ake's brow furrowed, his head tilting a fraction to the side. "It's dangerous to leave the castle at this hour." His eyes searched my face for a moment, and then something polite settled over his features. "I could give you a tour around instead?"
Nope.
"It'll be fine." I smiled. "I have you with me, and there's also a Shadow watching over us."
Probably.
With how the summoning went, I'd be really surprised if that Shadow wasn't keeping an eye on me.
Ake went still, eyes widening as his gaze shifted around the hallway in a few quick little glances. The lantern in his hand dipped lower as he leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper.
"How do you know? Nobody sees the Shadows unless they reveal themselves first."
My smile widened.
"I can just tell."
Ake stared at me, lips parted, the lantern light throwing a shadow over his face. Then his gaze drifted to the side, his chainmail clinking softly as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"Should I still come with you then?"
I stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"If you have a Shadow with you, won't I just get in the way?"
Ah…
"Of course not.” I only needed him to get past those stupid guards. “Honestly, I'd feel safer with someone I can see around me, and you seem like a reliable lad."
That flush came back, and he ducked his head, staring at the floor for a moment. "A-ah, you're too kind, sir hero."
"You can call me Alister when we're alone." I tapped my chest with a thumb, smiling.
Ake's lips pulled into a small smile of his own. "If that's what you wish, sir Alister."
My mouth twitched.
Eh. Good enough.
"So?" I said, brows quirking. "What do you say?"
Ake turned his head towards the window, lips pressing together. "The closest balloon monsters are on the plains around Castle Town. I'm not sure if the guards will let us pass this late."
"I think they will."
I was gonna milk that Queen's Shadow for all she was worth.
Ake's brow pinched, but he didn't argue further. "Let's hope you're right, sir Alister."
I clapped my hands together, the sound echoing through the quiet hall. "Alright then. Let's get going, my friend. The night is still young."
And full of souls ripe for the taking.
Ake turned on his heel with a short nod, and we got moving. We rounded the corner to the same hallway he'd come from, a flight of stairs coming into sight at the far end. I couldn't keep the grin off my face as we started down.
This lame ass JRPG world was not ready for the fat bitch-breaker of Blizzard’s golden moneymaker and all the filthy, sweaty hax that it could bring to bear.
<[]>
Ake kept a hand above the pommel of his sword as he crossed the dark stretch of land, gaze sweeping left and right. The monsters around here were only balloons, but they swarmed, and all it took was one bad step to end up flat on your back with some of them latching onto your face.
His legs ached, and the chainmail felt twice as heavy on his shoulders—a full morning of drills and then a guard shift on top of it. His bunk sounded like heaven right about now, but rest would have to wait.
He glanced to the side.
Sir Alister walked beside him, a faint smile on his face and the lantern swinging in his right hand, its glow carving a small circle of light out of the dark.
A brave man, to come out hunting at this hour. He had to be tired too, yet here he was, ready to challenge monsters in the middle of the night.
Ake looked forward and squared his shoulders. As a knight of Melromarc, it was his duty to aid the heroes in times like these, tired or not.
A rustle of grass came from the left.
His fingers closed around the hilt and the blade cleared the scabbard in one pull. His body dropped half an inch, weight settling into his back foot, eyes locked on the spot where the grass was moving.
An orange shape burst from the dark, jaw stretching wide.
"Watch out!"
Sir Alister turned towards it, the lantern swinging wide in his right hand. His left came up, fingers splayed, palm aimed at the balloon.
Ake stepped around, arm winding back for a cut.
The monster caught fire mid-air, lighting up like a torch.
He paused, eyes wide.
Alister stepped aside, and the orange balloon bounced once against the ground before it popped with a rubbery snap and dropped to the grass in a smoldering heap.
Ake's sword arm dropped to his side. He stared at the pile of rubber, mouth hanging open. His gaze went to Sir Alister's outstretched arm, then up to his face.
"Magic without a chant?"
Sir Alister smiled.
"None at all."
He stepped past the smoking pile and kept walking, the lantern swaying at his side, an unbothered stride carrying him deeper into the plains.
Ake swallowed, adjusted his grip on the sword, and followed.
The heroes were truly something else.
<[]>
Ake scanned the field around them, sword arm loose at his side. Smoldering piles of rubber dotted the darkness in a rough line stretching back the way they'd come, each one giving off a faint orange glow.
He stood still and listened. Only the faint crackle of embers reached his ears. Nothing else.
They'd cleared out every balloon in the area.
He turned around and glanced at Sir Alister.
The man stood next to his latest kill, hands at his side, the lantern lying on the ground by his feet. The flames cast flickering shadows across his face, and that same quiet smile painted a serene curve among the gaps.
Ake's lips tugged into a small smile of his own.
The other knights treated these balloons as a tedious chore, but they were a constant threat to the farmers and cattle around Castle Town. Sir Alister didn’t mind culling them at all. It wouldn’t earn him any fame or praise, but the farmers and herdsmen would thank him.
The other knights treated these balloons as a tedious chore, something to saddle the fresh recruits with. Nobody wanted to spend their evening chasing rubber balls across a field. But the farmers and herdsmen outside Castle Town dealt with these things every day. Sir Alister must’ve saved them a week’s worth of trouble with this culling.
It wouldn't earn him any fame or praise from the court, but the people who lived out here would notice the difference.
He was a good fellow. A little strange, but most mages were like that.
Sir Alister picked up the lantern and started walking, his stride carrying him towards the dark band of trees at the edge of the plains. Ake's smile faded, and he quickened his pace to close the gap.
"Sir Alister, we should avoid the forest. It's too dark to see well in there, and it's been getting quite late too."
Sir Alister paused mid-step and looked over his shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry. We'll stay at the edge and kill a few more monsters. Then we can head back."
He turned and kept walking before Ake could respond, the lantern swaying in an arc at his side.
Ake watched him for a moment, then let out a short breath through his nose and followed.
Hard-working, too.
They’d surely win against the waves with heroes like him on their side.
<[]>
I plopped myself on the comfy chair with a tired sigh. The late-night grind had been a blast, but it left me too wired to fall asleep. The irony.
Setting everything on fire was awesome but it came with a kind of downside. Tapping into Fel was like shooting ten energy drinks straight into your veins.
I could see why people got addicted to this stuff.
A sigh escaped me as I took another longing glance at my bed. I sank deeper into my chair and finally brought up my Talents page—
A splitting pain shot through my skull.
My breath caught, vision turning white at the pain. I squeezed my eyes shut and grabbed my head as images and symbols flashed through my mind like a fragmented movie on fast forward, burning itself into my brain.
I curled into myself, holding my head as I sucked in a hissing breath. A moment later, the pain vanished, leaving behind a dull throbbing above my ears. I cracked my eyes open, the light in the room sending another stab through my skull, and massaged my temples while focusing on my breathing.
What the fuck…
Drawing in a deep breath, I pulled myself upright, cold sweat pooling on my back as I ran my hands over my face.
What the fuck just happen—
I stared blankly across the room, mouth falling slack.
“Kasharu…”
The word left my lips in a faint whisper, and I blinked.
Huh. I could speak alien.
Neat.
My gaze travelled down to my lap, and I kept massaging my temples as I waited for the tangled mess inside my skull to settle. Strange images and words flashed through my head, my mind jumping from one half formed thought to another.
Eventually, it settled down, and a single image lingered at the front as the throbbing in my temples went away.
Demonic Circle…
I pushed a breath through my nose, dropping my hands to my lap.
Great. I had to draw this shit by hand…
Later.
My eyes went back to the Talent page and my brows climbed up as I read through it. Some entries were different from what I remembered of the game. Probably included the stuff from the newest expansions. Or maybe this was a home brew?
I could only guess.
I sank back into my seat, staring at the floating window as I drummed a finger on my thigh.
I guess this answered the knowledge question. This shitty system downloaded demon alien crap straight into my brain.
Two out of ten, would not recommend.
My lips pursed as I skimmed through the page until I reached the bottom.
I suppose this made me a “real warlock” now.
Covering a yawn, I crossed my legs and opened my Specialization page. I was going full Demo even if I couldn’t summon anything apart from imps. Destro was cool but I wanted minions. One pet just wasn’t enough for that true warlock experience.
Something caught my eye as I stared at the page.
Huh…
Or rather, a lack thereof.
That button at the bottom to lock in the chosen spec—
My eyes went wide.
Holy shit.
No way. No friggin’ way.
The in-game limit didn’t exist. I could learn from all three specs, maybe even all of it if the level cap was high enough.
Insane.
Excitement coiled in my stomach as a smile pulled at my face. As if Warlocks weren’t broken enough already.
Covering another yawn, I dismissed the Spec tab and focused back on the talent tree. At level ten, I only had one point to spend on my Warlock page, so I picked Demon Skin for that sweet extra armor and sustain.
My eyes drifted to the Demonology page, lips pursing. Summoning demons was neat, but… what if I just ended up opening a path for the Burning Legion to invade this free real estate world?
One apocalypse was enough, I’d say. I lived here. For now.
A heavy sigh escaped me. If I were some evil, amoral asshole, this would be so easy… Maybe only as a last resort ‘fuck you’ in case things ever went FUBAR?
Frowning, I uncrossed my legs and sank deeper into the chair, chewing at the inside of my lip.
Well, I could still get the imps. The wild ones should be safe, and even then, I had a way to dispose of them if I had to. Exploding them might not work, but turning them into soul gems or just draining them should definitely—
A sudden sharp knock at the door nearly made me jump out of my skin. Who the fuck knocked on doors at two—my eyes briefly went to the ancient-looking clock on the wall—and a half in the morning?
“Yes?” I spoke, loud enough for whoever was outside to hear, while trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
The door opened after a moment, revealing an older woman with short chestnut hair and a pretty face. Her outfit reminded me of a housekeeper, but the old-school type, not the modern fetish version of a maid.
“Is everything to your liking, sir hero?” she said, her voice smooth and pleasant to the ear as she stepped inside, her feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor. “If you happen to be hungry, I can bring some fruit or whatever you wish.”
I blinked owlishly, staring at her blankly for a good moment. Fucking wot? She came here just to ask me this? Was the hero worship that bad in this country? Or was something else at play here?
“It’s fine.” I waved her off with a polite smile. “I’m good for today.”
The woman smiled back, her cheeks dimpling ever so slightly as she folded her hands in front of her apron. “Understood. But please don’t hesitate to let me know if there is anything I could help you with,” she said, her ample chest pushing against the dark fabric of her shirt as she bowed deeply with her hands clasped like that.
Our gazes met as she straightened herself, smile growing a little wider as she dragged her teeth seductively over her bottom lip.
Ah. So that’s how it was.
I wasn’t going to lie. The way she purred the last part and looked at me was enough to get a reaction. On both ends.
However…
I had no idea who’d plundered that booty before, and I was not eager to test if Drain Life could cure stuff like the clap. Maybe after I got myself a few nice extra magical insurances, I’d take her to pound town.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, ignoring the voice of doubt at the back of my mind as a flicker of disappointment crossed the woman’s face. “I’d like to sleep for now, though.”
“As you wish, sir hero.” She gave another bow, thankfully, this time only a curt one with her head. If she showed me her chest straining again like that against her shirt, I was going to have a hard time going to sleep.
“I bid you a good night.” And with that, she turned around, a light sway to her hips as she made her way out of the room, footsteps just as silent and movements oddly smooth.
The woman flashed me one last smile full of hidden promise before the door obscured her face as it fell shut with a soft click. My gaze lingered there for a moment longer, imagination running wild as certain images flashed to mind. Huh…
So… either some degenerate, slutty servant girl, or one of the queen’s Shadows. And those two weren’t even mutually exclusive.
Spicy.
I glanced down at my lap, lips pursed. Maybe I should’ve taken her up on that offer. I might not get another chance anytime soon.
Whatever.
I pushed myself up with a sigh, opening my inventory and taking out a bucket of cold, river water. I stared at the clear surface, catching my grim-faced reflection.
At least I could heat up the water with magic…
<[]>
Translation: "kasharu" means "vessel" in Eredun (the language of WoW demons).