A dangerous revelation

Vincent chuckled from the excitement of the formidable weapon in his hands. He rushed to the cart, rummaging for a container. Soon, he found a small pouch with enough space to hold all the paste inside.

[You look more excited than with the girls. Well, you only need me by your side. This cute wisp body has enchanted you, right?]

-Ye ye. But if your body is cute. Then I'm also cute since my wisp body was like yours.-

[Humph... you don't understand a woman's charm. Have fun playing with that thing alone.]

Vincent chuckled after he couldn't hear Kazumi speak anymore. 'Burn.' He thought while laughing.

'If Minor Numbness seems potent at a low dosage. Then what will happen if I use all the numb paste of this pouch in one go?' Vincent pondered before he decided to look at the time. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon.

'Time flys when I have fun. But what is Ester doing? Is she still near the campfire?' He thought while gazing at the entrance.

[So... I was thinking. Why don't you try to create a personal storage like fantasy games? An ability to store items or food would be helpful.]

Vincent stopped from exiting the cave. Such an exciting idea filled him with curiosity. 'Is it possible?' Was the million-dollar question resounding in his mind.

-It sounds quite complex if you think about it. I don't think I have enough understanding to form such an ability.-

[Don't worry, you have me by your side. I have a feeling that our souls are more linked than meets the eye. I might be able to help with my Photographic Memory.]

-That would be great. You have my memories of the year I spent trying to make a game from scratch.-

[Make a game? In one year, you only made the inventory system script. The save and load script drove you mad to the point of rage quitting.]

Vincent didn't reply. He felt sour for being reminded of the memory when his dream shattered.

'Wait! I have a great idea. I will be able to hit two birds with one stone. Maybe I can have Kazumi keep quiet for some time and help at the same time.' Vincent thought with a sly smirk.

-I currently have twenty Soul Power. Why don't you try to do your magic and see if you can form a storage ability? Since you can see my inspection window and visit the same mysterious dream, I believe in you.-

[If you insist that much, I can try. However, you will own me a favor. You must do whatever I say or the favor doubles. The more favors, the less I will help you.]

-I will accept if they aren't perverted favors.-

[Hey, what do you take me for? I'm the kind and cute Kazumi. I'm not that kind of soul.]

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[Will you spend 20sp to learn an ability from the host memories?]

[Host has one hour to think, imagine, and understand for an ability to form.]

[No refund. No discount.]

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[Accept -20sp] [Decline]

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Vincent wished to learn and create a new skill. He felt strange while reading the words of no discount. It was as if the window was an online store.

-What do you think? Want to try our luck?-

[Yes, leave everything to me. It says host instead of user or Hero. Since I reside in your Soul Domain, I might be considered the host's guest and help using your memories.]

"Accept. " Vincent said. He was brimming with curiosity to see if it would work.

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[-20sp used to form an ability or spell. 0sp remaining.]

[59:59 time remaining.]

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Kazumi began doing her part. Surprisingly, a new window appeared with words constantly updating every second.

Whatever Kazumi thought, it was extremely fast. She wasn't the soul of the Knowledge Hero for nothing.

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[Storage... Space... Fill... Save... Store...]

[Updating the next line of thought.]

[Inventory... Dimension... Containment... Chest...]

[Updating the next line of thought.]

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Vincent felt his head about to burst just from watching the words appear. Kazumi was like a game developer designing a storage system from Vincent's knowledge at an unimaginable speed.

'Yes. Now I have one hour without Kazumi.' Vincent thought while whistling in a happy mood. He exited the cave with the small pouch of numb paste attached to his waist.

"Vincent, look at what I found!" Lupa happily exclaimed when she heard a familiar set of footsteps approaching.

Vincent gazed at the two. Lupa impatiently waited while Ester seemed to be doing something. Under her were a lot of white and red feathers.

Vincent approached until he noticed a headless chicken-sized bird in Ester's arms. Lupa found a great meal, one worthy of praise.

Vincent caressed Lupa on her head while saying, "Nice find. Did you hunt it?"

"I found a tree broken in a strange way. I thought there might be a strong enemy nearby, but found no dangerous presence or tracks. Then I noticed this headless bird under the fallen tree." Lupa had a bright grin while she was happily getting caressed on her head.

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[Name] Pregos Bird (Corpse)

[Description] Killed by a Trino Tree head crush. Killer Vincent Agius.

[Loot] None

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Vincent gulped while a cold sweat slid from his forehead. He could start to see a pattern. The inspection ability could tell him how someone had died and who the killer was. Even when making the numb paste, it had his name on it as the crafter.

"Est-Ester... Does everyone in this world have inspection ability?" Vincent stuttered while his voice trembled. He could get discovered quickly if so.

"All I know is that you have strangely learned a special rare Bloodline ability only mages can awaken. But there are inspection gemstones made from the cores of magical beasts or scrolls as well." Ester informed while feeling a bit weird for being asked now.

"I made a paste from the Red Numb Mushrooms, and the inspection is showing my name as the crafter. I killed the bird in your hands after I tested out my Overheat power and felled the tree Lupa saw. But the thing is... it's saying I killed it." Vincent said with worry. Then a new problematic idea flashing in his mind.

"Wait! Does the adventurous guild use this inspection gemstone on the people registering?" Vincent suddenly reached a question of his journey to get himself killed.

Ester stopped plucking the feathers. She became shocked by this realization as she had forgotten about this after she fought for her life.

"Ohh, no. What have I done? I didn't think this through when you asked for the adventurous guild." Ester became agitated from this blunder.

"What's wrong, sister? Do you need help?" Lupa worryingly asked.

These words made Vincent realize an easy solution. If he couldn't get inspected, then Ester and Lupa could in his stead.

'I hope the Soul Synch isn't a retainer only stat. But if I'm the Soul Hero, then it might be different for past Heroes. We need to invent an excuse if it appears.'

Vincent didn't think the Soul Synch stat would be a problem. Or if it was a stat only, he could see. Unlike the third and sixth Hero, Vincent helped them awaken a class their soul might have desired instead of changing their race and form.

"Don't worry, Ester. It's my fault, not yours. Now that both of you have a class, you could register as an E Ranker adventurous and take jobs while I help." Vincent found the solution to this problem.

Ester gently nodded but remained a bit flustered. Lupa, on the other hand, became ecstatic of being helpful and thinking of leaving the forest.

Vincent sat on the rock, enjoying the view. He felt relaxed now that Kazumi stayed quiet for the remainder of the ability creation timer.

The sound of Lupa wagging her tail while attentively staring at Ester, and the crackling of the campfire was like a melody to his ears.

"Good thing I didn't find the bird first. I didn't want to see its head crushed like a pancake." Vincent murmured. However, Lupa picked up these words.

"What is a pancake?" Lupa asked as it sounded like food. She learned from Ester what a pan was, but she didn't learn what a cake was.

"Pancake? Isn't a cake noble's food?" Ester asked as her attention landed on Vincent.

"Ahh... Well, it is thin, flat, sweet, soft, fluffy, and delicious. I will make you one when we have the tools and ingredients." Vincent reminisced about the ones he cooked in his kitchen.

Vincent had a particular hobby other than reading. It was to recreate some of the food the protagonists of the stories and animations would cook.

Vincent got himself in a lot of trouble whenever he tried something new. And that was a lot of times. Vincent tried to recreate what he read in stories. However, there were more failures than success.

Ester finished plucking the feathers. Then Lupa helped clean the bird as she didn't mind getting messy. Ester wasn't used to seeing the guts other than fish, so she felt a bit disgusted.

The cleaned bird was soon chopped into pieces and placed in the large pot with a few mushrooms. Vincent looked around. He saw the frozen soup in a small empty bucket.

'My job has become easier now that Ester has become healthy. Taking care of Lupa alone was very stressful. I hope Ester can at least teach the impatient wolf some manners.' Vincent thought with a smile.

Lupa swirled the chicken soup while Ester headed for the cave. A few minutes later, Ester returned with a puzzled frown. She gazed at Vincent and asked, "Did something happen? Most of our stuff is gone."

Vincent scratched his cheek with no idea how to reply. 'Ester would feel guilty about why I removed most of the stuff.' he thought.

"I wanted you to rest comfortably, so I removed the things that weren't essential." Vincent tried not to blame Ester as much as possible.

"Ohh..." Ester lowered her gaze. She understood how hard it was for Vincent to pull the cart. She heard from Lupa how he pulled the cart alone with both of them on it.

"Don't feel guilty. We are a family now. Right, Lupa?" Vincent added Lupa to the mix to relieve Ester of her guilt.

"Umm... Yes, as he said." Lupa took a peek at Ester. Then she continued swirling the bird soup while her nose twitched at the delightful smell.

Unfortunately, the plan failed. Lupa didn't help one bit as the food seemed more important to her. Vincent raised a faint smile, feeling embarrassed for hoping she could help while food stood in front of her nose.

Ester approached Lupa from behind and gently pulled her ear. She said, with a frown, "So food is more important than looking at your sister?"

"Sister is... more important. " Lupa replied. She turned her head facing Ester, but her eyes were still stuck on the pot. She was both a very dedicated cook and a hungry glutinous wolf.

Ester sighed helplessly at Lupa. Her stomach had more control over her body than the brain. Shortly, she could hear Vincent chuckling behind her.