Chapter 3: Traces of Arcana
After my encounter with Helga, I decided to sneak out of the library and go directly to my room. The close-call I had with Helga spooked me, so I decided walking away was a more prudent choice for the moment. Though, I made sure to sneak one of the beginner books on the arcane magic with me. My near discovery with Helga showed me that wisdom stat wasn't an all-around cure for all kind of information, and I actually needed more information to prevent another half-assed plan exploding on me.
While my existence as I grew up had been a horrible, lonely existence, it also came with certain advantages, such as the absolute absence of any kind of friendship, meaning no one bothered to look for my presence when I decided to skip the dining hall. Going to the library was a risk, but I only took it because people were too used to my presence to really pay attention. I wasn't willing to risk my acting skills against the sharp eyes of all kind of soldiers, especially if someone decided to bully me in the dining hall, which happened far more than I would have liked to admit.
Walking around carelessly was one thing, but trying to trick everyone in a crowded hall was a different thing while they watched my reaction.
The danger was compounded by the fact that the room was not filled with the students with the magical focus like it was in the library. According to what I had read, the students with a magic specialty rarely bothered to pick sensory skills, relying on spells to enhance them under the combat situations. I wasn't willing to take the same risk for the students on leadership or ranger track, not before I could enhance my Subterfuge skill to a reliable degree.
The next few hours were split between reading on magic and trying to enhance my arcana skill, only to increase it by a measly one point. The culprit was easy to discover, the lack of risk. Unfortunately, without some arcana ability, improving my spells was a slow-yielding chore, destroying my plans. I sighed, and decided to focus on the theoretical side while leaving the skill enhancement for tomorrow.
At least, that was my initial decision. But when I found myself twisting and turning in my uncomfortable bed, unable to catch a wink of sleep, I decided to revise that plan. I wasn't able to sleep, because I couldn't prevent myself from mentally calling my status screen, a part of it burning in an annoying light.
Basic Arcana [2/25]
It shouldn't be a real problem, as after spending years without gaining a level, or even thinking it was possible, I had gained two levels in rapid succession, a speed that was unheard of, even for the first few levels. That should have been satisfactory enough to let me sleep.
But it wasn't, not when a part of my heart shouted me to leverage the situation before it got lost just as quick, ignoring the pleadings of my brain. I yearned to maximize my arcana skill with the same speed I had improved my subterfuge skill.
In the end, I failed to resist the temptation, like a man lost in a desert, gorging himself with water despite knowing the dangers of his greedy approach. Sometimes, the temptation was impossible to resist.
A sigh escaped my mouth as I stood up, my mind already on how to explain if I get caught during the process. The library was open at night, but it rarely had any students, therefore only a couple assistants worked each night, in rotation. Mine was last night, so I needed an excuse.
A brief search around the clutter gave me the perfect excuse, a parchment, written by the Head Librarian, ordering me to sort out the history section. It must be from the first few weeks, when they were still hopeful that I would be able to learn about being a librarian. For anyone else, it wouldn't have worked, but for once, my reputation worked to my benefit. It would be very believable for old me to find an expired order, only to follow it without realizing it.
With my problem solved, I quickly donned my librarian robe, and stepped on the corridor with purpose.
The first observer I had was a servant, carrying a tray filled with food. The smell tickled my nose, and my stomach chose me to remind that I had yet to eat anything with a loud gurgle. "Perfect, the mule is starving," the servant murmured sarcastically as he tried to pass me.
After my stat boosts, giving me a new perspective about everything that had been happening in my life, I found myself with a short temper against my bullies. And finally, I had a chance to push back. Not explicitly, which admittedly removed some fun of the situation, but a telekinetic push, delivered with a negligent wave of my hand, was sufficient revenge for now.
It wasn't a particularly strong push, nor it was well-controlled, but the second part worked for my benefit, unbalancing his tray, making it tumble off his hands. A string of angry curses left his mouth, quite a few targeting my supposed curse spreading around, but he was too busy trying to salvage to late-night dinner he had been carrying to stop me, and I continued my journey; a smile on my face because suddenly, I had another skill point in my skill.
[+1 Arcana]
When I arrived at the library, he wasn't the only servant that was cursing the supposed bad luck I had brought. Some of them tripped, while the others lost the hold on the items they were carrying. Any student would have been reported to Headmaster, who had little patience for the pranks on the staff, but one benefit of my reputation was I was suspicion-proof. It was an asshole move, I would admit, but the resulting increase in my arcane skill was well-worth it. And after all the mocking and humiliation that came from the staff during my tenure, I wasn't feeling particularly merciful.
For me, the next hour I spent in the library turned out to be very useful. I have started testing my abilities on two boys from rival houses, working tables that was not exactly close to each other. I started it with a subtle telekinetic prob while making sure I was standing just in front of the other boy, so when my target turned towards me, he was quick to dismiss me in favor of blaming his rival.
It was even easier when he retaliated, his magical signature conveniently hiding my own small prod. It didn't take long for the boys to start a prank war, unaware that both of their assaults had some additions from a third party, and in the end, they broke into a fistfight in the middle of the library, each loudly blaming the other for starting it. I retreated, a smirk on my lips, and seven more points on my arcana skills. Targeting people with actual magical capabilities was making my magical skill increase even faster, I realized.
At that point, I was planning to call it an early night. I walked towards the depths of the library, searching for some interesting books that I could borrow that wouldn't raise any alarm. To do that, I moved much deeper into the library, until an unfamiliar sensation stopped me.
I stopped, trying to expand my magical senses until I could grasp the reason for that sudden sensation. A minute of focus later, a shimmering barrier appeared in front of me as I attuned my senses, giving me an impression of a tripwire. A simple alarm ward, I reasoned, combining my readings with the impressions generated by my skill, all filtered through my wisdom and intelligence. The question was, who was responsible.
Destroying the ward was not an option without alerting its owner, and I didn't even know where to start to for partial dismantling. The smart thing would be to turn back, not risk angering whomever that had put the barrier.
And I would have done that, if it wasn't for a moan that was strangely familiar, one that made remember a very special moment in my life, one I managed to place it rather easily. Cornelia.
"That naughty minx," I murmured in surprise, though this time, I had enough presence of mind to keep my voice low. The last thing I needed was to be burned once again. But the lure of gaining more experience, as well as feasting on her beauty, was too tempting to miss, and I wouldn't say no to seeing Marianne's amazing body as well, hopefully accompanying Cornelia once again.
First, I moved back and forth, looking for an easy vantage point, but it turned out to be fruitless. Then, I turned my attention to the translucent ward that barred my way, taking note of its spherical shape, and comparing it with the size and the shape of the library. Thanks to the endless days I had traversed the library, doing backbreaking physical work, I had managed to memorize the library with great accuracy, and my wisdom allowed me to recall that map without an error.
Combining those two facts, I realized that I could bypass the ward from this side as long as I kept close to the wall on the other side. I walked, keeping my attention on the ward to avoid an accidental trigger. And as a happy note, it increased my arcana skill by two, probably factoring in the fact that I would be risking death if I got noticed by Cornelia.
[Basic Arcana 10/25]
After a short search, I managed to find a nice and snug vantage point that gave me a direct view of Cornelia and Marianne, proving that they hadn't paid the same attention to the rear of their position. After a brief search, I managed to find a gap between the books that gave me an almost unrestricted view of her bodies.
And what a view it was. Trusting the effectiveness of their ward, the girls didn't see a problem partially undressing, their robes bunched around their waist, their breasts only concealed by each other's hands, and occasionally, their lips. It wasn't a surprise that I quickly built up a raging erection, and this time, I had enough time and opportunity to address it.
[+100 Experience]
I pulled my shaft from my pants rather urgently, the desire burning inside me as it did never before. Maybe it was an effect of my level-up system, or maybe it was because of my increased stats, allowing me to feel my emotions in an intensity that I never felt before, or maybe even it was my physical stats, finally enhancing my body to a point that I would feel such needs. Whatever it was, it was less important than the amazing view as Cornelia's face disappeared in the embrace of Marianne's bountiful bosom, triggering her silent cries.
Too silent, I absentmindedly noted as my fingers started dancing on my shaft. Apparently, they remembered to put a silencing charm after Cornelia's errant moan. More power me, as safer they felt in their position, less attention they would pay to their environment. I pumped my shaft mercilessly, the unfamiliar sensation filling my body with a rapid speed...
Beset with an unfamiliar sensation, it took less than a minute for me to reach a climax, a sensation of pleasure filling my body. I managed to keep myself from moaning in pleasure, if only because of the memory of Cornelia's burning hand, digging into my skin.
[+200 Experience]
[Achievement: Obscured Ogler. Stay hidden and unnoticed while triggering a situation of self-inflicted ecstasy. +300 Experience, +1 Perception]
[Achievement: Speedy Shooter. Take less than a minute to reach a climax under self-care. +100 Experience, +1 Endurance]
I took a few deep breaths, enjoying not only the pleasure of the aftermath, but also the power spreading through my body, sharpening my perception and toughening my body. If that was the way everyone felt when they increased in power, I could easily see why they thought the Abnormals were cursed, or why they pitied the people with low-level cap.
But sociological impacts of the leveling was easy to ignore when I watched as Cornelia pushed Marianne against a desk, hiking up her robe with a great hurry. A pull later, Marianne's panties fell down, giving me a glimpse of the treasure between her legs before Cornelia dived down there.
[+200 Experience]
I was happy with receiving another experience burst, clearly linked to their change of position. So, the safest strategy would be to wait until they finished, and maybe polish another one if my manhood managed to recover before they finished. But once again, the temptation for more skills and the increased experience was impossible to resist.
I took a deep breath, bringing my whole focus to create a small telekinetic point, and I extended it as far as I could. The power I put on it was the smallest I could manage, and I was betting everything on the fact that both girls were too distracted to notice what I was doing. That was what had happened with Helga, after all, failing to notice my manipulations until I lost control of the spell and ripped off her clothes.
And my favorite gals were lost in pleasure, which was what I was banking on. With that in mind, I pushed my small probe on Marianne's naked breasts, gently squeezing her nipple, which made her to open her mouth to let out another silent cry, but her eyes stayed closed, meaning she wasn't suspicious. Maybe she didn't realize it wasn't Cornelia's hand but a spell, or maybe she just assumed Cornelia was responsible for it. They definitely seemed kinky enough to use magic for things like that.
[+100 Experience]
[+1 Arcana]
The approval of my internal system was definitely appreciated, as well as the sudden burst of magical knowledge, slightly increasing the finesse I could wield my magic. I squeezed once more, but this time, without a corresponding experience burst. Maybe variety was needed, I thought as I slowly transformed the shape of my mental construct to something similar to a hand, cupping her breast in a way that was more attention-grabbing than a simple, fleeting squeeze.
[+100 Experience]
I saw Marianne's mouth opening, and while I couldn't hear what she said, the way her mouth moved was suspiciously close to the word more. Happy that my little addition was appreciated, I let my magical probe to explore her body more freely, the expression of ecstasy on Marianne's face intensifying with each passing moment.
Meanwhile, my body had managed to recover, my shaft back to full mast. My hand was back to pumping, though without the utter novelty of the sensation, it took longer for me to reach the climax. Not that it was a bit problematic, as not only there was an amazing view that I enjoyed in front of me, but also I was gaining quite a bit of experience and skill points from the experience. Seeing Marianne shuddering with a climax triggered me for a second time, but also I managed to earn more than five hundred experience and several points of arcana skill.
[Achievement: Hidden Helper. Be a gentleman and help a lady reach ecstasy without taking the credit! +500 Experience, +1 Manipulation]
It seemed that the system had a sense of humor. Still, that was unimportant compared to the fact that I was near another level up. I prayed all the gods that Cornelia wasn't selfless enough to leave after bringing her partner to climax.
My prayers were answered when Cornelia stood up and dropped her robe on the ground, revealing that she hadn't been wearing anything underneath. Apparently, she came prepared for her midnight tryst. Once again, I prepared my telekinetic hand, ready to subject Cornelia the same treatment Marianne had been subject to, but something changed my mind.
In particular, the position Marianne had taken.
Instead of crouching like Cornelia did, Marianne chose to bend from her waist as she brought her lips to Cornelia's nether lips. But the thing that took my attention was the way her robe stayed bunched around her waist, leaving her bottom bare, and facing towards me.
I wasn't sure I would dare to take the opportunity if it was Cornelia in the position, but Marianne had shown that she was both slower to react, and more merciful. Still, I was really careful as I brought my probe to her glistening slit, and gently twisting her clit.
[+200 Experience]
The result was spectacular. Marianne's body rocked with pleasure, and Cornelia's body followed it a moment later. Apparently, the joy of the moment made Marianne more active, something Cornelia was clearly enjoyed.
I kept the pressure the same until I watched Cornelia's hands to grab Marianne's hair, pulling her tighter into her embrace. At that point, I was reasonably sure that Marianne had other problems than the exact shape of her pleasure, and added a small buzzing to my probe, still teasing her clit.
The result was spectacular, as Marianne raised her head for a moment, her silent cries creating a unique erotic view. Luckily, before Cornelia started to get suspicious, Marianne lowered her head and resumed her task, leaving me free to magically explore her most magical spot.
I was tempted to transform my probe into a cylindrical shape before exploring her insides, but one thing held me back. As a noble lady, she was probably virgin, meaning that would create a huge web to untangle, and I didn't want to give her a reason to rip my head of if I get caught.
But it was a restriction that allowed me a lot of range. Once again I brought my probe on Marianne's breasts, this time in a more spread-out tingling sensation, leveraging the expanded capabilities of my skill boost. I thought I saw Marianne trembling a bit, but it was a subtle thing, and it might also be about Cornelia's hands meeting with her hair in a sharp tug.
[+100 Experience]
With the system's approval of my achievement, I continued my activities, letting the probe to spread over her body while wishing that it was my hands that danced freely on her soft skin. But at least, I had remote access to her body, which was a good substitute until I could have access to the real one.
A few minutes later, without a warning, Marianne collapsed onto her knees, trembling with obvious pleasure.
[+500 Experience]
I would have liked to hang around more, to push even more, but when I saw a questioning expression on Cornelia's face, I decided that retreat was a part of the valor. I didn't know whether her questions would allow her to discover my outside assistance, but I wasn't willing to stay around to discover that. Cornelia's first reaction had left a memorable impression.
I called my status window as I walked back to the more crowded areas of the library. I had earned more than enough from my endeavor. Not only I had completely developed my arcana abilities, but also gained enough experience for an almost full level.
All was well...
[Level: 3 Experience: 5810 / 6000
Strength: 6 Charisma: 8
Precision: 7 Perception: 8
Agility: 6 Manipulation: 8
Speed: 6 Intelligence: 6
Endurance: 8 Wisdom: 16
HP: 99 / 99 Mana: 110 / 141 ]
SKILLS
[Basic Subterfuge (25/25)
Basic Arcana [22/25] ]