Chapter 14- Leveling Everything

I refuse to even look at her as she takes me back up to the surface, being underwater I can't say anything.

Dropping me off on land, she blows me a kiss, "Come back and see me when you're bored, though I'd prefer if you were older next time."

I ignore her as I begin to walk away. I need to return to the cottage, the sun was going down and I've never been in the forest at night.

Coming back to the cottage just before the moon started rising, I see Garbhan in the kitchen and have a seat for dinner.

"You're not going to ask where I was?" I question. " When you turn 15, you're considered an adult, but you're way more mature for your age.

So, if you were going to tell me, you would, if you don't, I won't pry."

He sets a bowl in front of me that I dig into, thinking about what happened.

It wasn't the kiss that made me mad, it was how easily she got information out of me.

However, meeting her was worth it as the skill she gave me was broken with the sage spells.

Blessings and curses didn't require any initial mana to cast, they just needed a constant rate of mana to maintain.

With this skill as long as I could sense their mana, they were essentially cursing themselves.

I help him clean the kitchen before retiring to my room.

I start to think as to how I could maximize my training. I could be taking advantage of the Well Rested Blessing by doing a certain bald hero's' routine.

I have no idea if it will work but I can adjust anything that I feel isn't working. With my mind made up, I drift to sleep.

One month later....

My new routine since that lake incident, was to wake up and start cooking breakfast.

From cooking and eating breakfast, I then help tend to the horses and water the garden.

Within the four hours of waking up, I do the pushups, situps then the 10km run.

At first, I tried to not go to bed before completing everything but realized quick that doing squats messed up your legs.

From this routine, I got some muscles in my arms and legs, nothing serious like a six pack, but I was fine with that.

I also grinded my skills and spells to the max, meaning we were due a trip to the Capital for the Crystal.

-------------------------------------------------

Race:Half -Elf

Class: Sage LVL 9

Available Skill Points: 9

Available Spells: Blessings- Enhance Speed Tier 1 LVL 10, Enhance Defense Tier 1 LVL 10

Curses- Reduce Speed Tier 1 LVL 10, Reduce Defense Tier 1 LVL 10

Available Skills: Weapon Mastery Tier 1 LVL 1, Staff Mastery Tier 1 LVL 1 Mana Control Tier 1 LVL 10, Mana Sense Tier 1 LVL 10, Mana Leech- Tier 1 LVL 1

Active Blessings/Curses- Acute Mind (Permanent)

---------------------------

I haven't really been able to level Mana Leech as my only targets are horses or Garbhan and I have no idea if it's painful or not to leech from your target.

I'm excited about this trip to the Capital, where I'll finally get daggers so I can work on my Weapon Mastery.

Leveling Mana Control really helped me to cast more blessings and curses, so leveling was a breeze, then mana sense just required me to sense nearby mana signatures.

I was hoping for more skill points but until I upgraded my skills and spells there was nothing I could do.

"The trip to Willowlane is a 3-day trip, here's your ID card for when we get there."

He hands me an ID card that says I'm 5 years older than what I am, that had the name Eric Budsprout.

A ridiculous last name but I'm sure it'll work in the city. I climb into the carriage and prepare for the long trip to Willowlane.

The sun was beginning to set as I began to see the high stone walls of Willowlane coming into view.

A moat surrounded the castle with an enormous gate, houses dotting the inside of the city, with a majestic white stone castle in the distance.

It was a sight to see, but unfortunately, I wasn't here as a tourist. This was enemy territory and I had to operate as such.

While here, we had to restock on ingredients, buy the daggers, and level up at the Crystal.

Anything more and we risk everything. We had no idea if they knew I was alive or not and I was not going to try my luck finding out.

Coming up to the gate, the Elven Guards, wearing yellow light armor on their chest with leather sleeves and leather helmets that had a red feather on the top, stopped our carriage.

Making sure that our papers were in order, they sent us on our way.

We immediately went to the city stables where they kept our carriage in reserve while we handled our business.

We needed to book an inn because the Crystal operated by next day appointments. Garbhan decided to split the work by him going to do the paperwork for the Crystal while I dealt with getting us an inn room.

I agreed since we were down the street from the inn anyway and I had no intentions on wandering the streets and getting lost.

Inside I walk up to the bar where there is a black haired cat woman in a green dress wearing an apron cleaning a mug. "I'd like two rooms for two nights with meals."

"That'll be 30 gold, love. If you're hungry now we still have some leftovers from dinner that are still warm."

"Thanks, that'll be much appreciated." I say paying her the gold for the rooms, then sit at a table to wait on the food.

'Maybe I should have mentioned that I don't eat meat, I was planning on trying it but after going so long without it, I don't want to mess up my stomach'.

As I'm waiting a cat girl with black fur who looks around my age wearing an apron approached me,

"Hi, my name is Asa, what's your name?"

"My name is Eric Budsprout. I'm assuming you're the innkeeper's daughter?"

She smiles lifting her chin proudly,

"Yes, I am, I started helping mom when I was 7."

"Well, I can see that you're doing a great job." She blushes as I compliment her. "Thanks sir, I'm doing my best."

"Asa! Come bring this to the young man."

Asa runs off then comes back carrying a tray twice as big as her.

After setting the food in the table, Asa does a polite bow, "Hope you enjoy your meal, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

I begin to dig into the meal before me, starting with the soup that's broccoli and cheese and sip on my fruit juice.

I notice a salad that consists of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, some nuts and a dressing.

Curiously I get a bit of each together to try and taste the zesty dressing.

Satisfied with what I've eaten so far I move on to the next plate of pasta in a white sauce with a side of bread.

I confidently get a forkful of pasta and try it to find its Alfredo, which I proceed to devour.

As I finish downing the last bit of bread and juice, Asa comes by and collects my empty dishes.

Noticing that Garbhan isn't back yet and knowing that he can handle myself I decide to go to my room.

Laying on my bed, I try to stay awake to wait on Garbhan, but the food was too good and makes me drift off to sleep.