LXXVII

Following the map, I make my way to the nearest forest, where I change into my new clothes. While simple, they are far nicer than my destroyed military-issue standard clothing, which had been reduced to tatters.

[Clothes, money, skills, levels, a weapon… I am quickly getting into a good position. Add on the luxury of a dimensional storage ring, and I am doing truly fantastic! However, even if I were to sell the ring, I would not have nearly enough money to afford a name change with a reputable sorcerer. And the sorcerer really must be reputable, otherwise I may only have my name changed to be enslaved by another. Furthermore, the sorcerer must be powerful, powerful enough to remove the name Lector imposed on me. For that to work, he must be more powerful than Lector, to get a sorcerer of such prestige and ability to remove my name, that will be even more expensive. Therefore, I still need to take up a high paying job, and an adventurer job will cut it. Besides, even if I could have my name changed today, I most likely would still be an adventurer. I need levels and skills nearly as much as I need money for a name change.]

Once I am changed, I orient myself with the map and the sun, racing along the land separating me from the nearest city. Through forests, across plains, up hills, and down valleys, after about two hours of running, the city appears on the horizon.

Centered around a particularly tall hill, Cierlaost, capital of the Duhnlaost Kingdom, stands with pride and majesty. Unlike the military complex masquerading as a city that I had been in in Eroen, this is a real city. No buildings obscure the outsides of its proud walls, a polished light gray stretching imposingly into the air, forming a seemingly perfect square of perhaps a mile along each edge. A tower stands from each corner of the city, and more towers rise up from within, tall enough to be visible over the sixty foot walls.

Additionally visible from the outside are two more buildings, a keep in the city center and a building with dramatic arches and spires that, if this were Earth, I would assume to be a cathedral, or some equivalent building of religious importance.

By the time I cover the remaining distance, night has fallen. Torches placed at regular intervals around the tops of the wall have been lit, and radiance rises up from within the city, even in the dead of night, it is not difficult to spot.

I arrive to find the gate closed. "The city is closed for the night, return tomorrow," I hear called down from the wall.

[Closed? Is this a business or something?] Resisting the urge to express my displeasure, I turn around and travel a few miles away.

[Fine, then. If you wish to shut me out, I'll take this as a practicing opportunity.] I have not yet once since awakening taken a break from magic practice, always being sure to cast spells whenever I am recovered enough to do so (sleeping exempt, of course.) My moderate elemental manipulation skill has risen a few levels, reaching level 7. Not nearly as impressive as what I had previously achieved, but still quite quick growth. Still, it is not nearly high enough in level. Though I curse him, the bonuses of being named by Lector still seem to be lingering; they are tied to my name and who gave it to me after all, not something of my own like proficiencies or something similar.

Therefore, I am quite powerful for someone of my level and skill level. Still, I am not powerful enough to be able to do the two things that I truly count as game changers: I cannot fly, and I cannot use DNTI. However, I am optimistic that if I can just reach greater elemental manipulation, I [might] be able to do both of these things, utilizing my plentiful experience with each. Still, it is quite optimistic; my skill level would still be numerous levels below what I would consider necessary, and I will be one whole level 25 level increment below where I was previously, and missing the across-the-board proficiency improvements that it brings.

Well, in that case, all I can do is train. While I would like to level up my pitiful melee magic conduction skill, my current sword doesn't allow for such things, thus I am forced to continue practicing elemental manipulation and swordsmanship on their own, unintegrated with one another.

I still mustn't complain. This sword essentially negates the need to use magic in battle anyway, forcing one's opponent to go all in on melee combat as well. A strategy with many flaws, perhaps, but it brought Reinhart quite far. And if I can go as far as him, I can surely find a sword that better suits me as a magic swordsman.

I practice magic until I start feeling the effects of magic exhaustion, after which I turn to practicing my swordsmanship. While I don't expect any major developments there in the near future, one must regularly practice if one is to maintain a skill's level.

I practice until I feel too tired to continue, by which point the moon is high overhead. Utilizing earth manipulation techniques, I make a small hut for myself. I hadn't bothered to do such things while traveling previously, but I wouldn't want to look like a savage to the guards who are surely watching me from the far away wall, now would I?