The Arcane Emperor

Chapter 87 Moonlighting

"You wished to speak, Magus Nvos?" Ymir asked, more focused on something on his desk than the mage himself.

Now that Rainer offered Body Enchantments as a political tool to Neutral City, Rainer figured he'd offer it 'first' to Ymir.

"I'd like to thank you for furthering the rumor of me being from the deep North, it was quite helpful in dealing with their Ambassador."

"Of course. It made it easier to recommend you on my part as well. It's quite the useful rumor you've cultivated."

"On that note, I'm planning on offering a gift from my homeland to Neutral City in order to improve relations, or rather to have any relations at all. I do need some help in that matter, and I figured I may as well offer to you as well."

"Said gift being?" Ymir asked, now no longer paying attention to any of the work on his table. Ymir, of course, knew it wasn't a gift from his "homeland". Rather, the Wolf King now found himself hoping the gift would reveal something about his origins. Who exactly cultivated such a mage outside of the guilds? Given that he was Human, Ymir found himself drawing a blank.

"You've seen how Kara can suddenly increase her speed or use a strange shield right? Well, I'm offering Body Enchantments." Rainer said, the Void-step being one enchantment he'd likely offer only people he fully trusted. Though, depending on his Dungeon party, he may have to just give it to everyone. Weighing it against his friends dying in the Dungeon made for an easy choice for Rainer. And yet he may be equipping others to flee or to turn against him.

Ymir fumbled with his quill for a moment, missing the inkwell, before continuing writing as if nothing had happened. "Body Enchantments...like of the Fae?" Ymir quietly asked. Even if the Fae have officially retreated from the world over a century ago and had been doing a lion's share of their retreat far earlier, there are those who remembered their kind. And knew of the strength any Fae could seemingly wield.

"Similarly. The materials are quite expensive, but I have no issue providing the service as a token of friendship between us. Kara seems far happier than usual too," Even if Rainer wouldn't mind doing it for the Wolf King completely free, he couldn't have him believing he could do it on any Wolfkin with little cost. He wasn't looking to become a Court Enchanter or some other pretentious title.

"I know enchanters fail quite a bit in their work, what's the risk here?"

"I will admit I have not done it on a Wolfkin before so I will need a few days to calculate the material cost. But I've never failed on a live target, nor would I ever do something so dangerous on Kara."

"It won't be any issue?" He reasonably asked.

"No, Kara is close enough to a Wolfkin where it is easy for that to transfer. But for every race the materials are slightly different."

"Then I shall await. Hand me a list when you know what you need, and I shall consider it."

"Might I borrow access to your library as well?" Rainer knew he still needed to figure which ingredients he needed exactly.

"Of course. Your apprentice already spends countless hours there. It is open to any guests of mine. If you require more than that, we can speak later."

Rainer grimaced. He had offered the Body Enchantments first so he could get easy access, but it seemed he only put a timetable of figuring out what he'd request. Magicite and Magic Crystals were on the top of the list but he wanted to see whatever else he could add on. More importantly it needed to be expensive enough that he wouldn't be swamped with requests, and if he ever agreed to front the materials himself he'd be seen as a saint.

"Much appreciated. I do have a final request."

"Yes?"

"I think I know a good present you can get for Kara," Rainer said.

After having listened to Rainer's idea and thought it over Ymir spoke, "Yes...yes, if she is truly so interested in them that sounds like a good gift. I'll have them bought and sent to an enchanter for a priority job."

Rainer blinked a few times as he heard the latter half. The man in front of him was a king after all.

"Thank you for bringing this to me," Ymir said, a bit of cheer in his voice. He was far too busy to spend the time he would have liked to with his daughter, so this was a nice consolation.

"Have you spoken with Kara about the other issue?" Ymir then asked.

"I plan to tonight."

Rainer went to the library soon after, getting directions from a nearby servant. Ignoring the whispers said servant shared with one of her co-workers, he vanished around the corner.

So it seems the Wolf King is either a moral or smart man, or both.

Rainer said shaking his head as he recalled the whispered conversation earlier. It was apparently not allowed for any of the Royal Family or other guests to force themselves on the servants in any way, and not just in an official sense. Moral for obvious reasons, and smart because it never paid to poorly treat the people who served you.

Their specific conversation involved them not minding if the visiting Magus broke the rules.

Entering the library soon after, he found Lilia reading at a table, and felt Sarah's soul somewhere in the massive library. Rainer took in the scene around him, bookshelves covering the wall and extending into a massive room with a visible second floor overhanging. A display of Royal grandeur most likely, he doubted any from the Royal Family had the time or inclination to have read most of this. It was a display appreciated nonetheless.

"How's my apprentice doing?" Rainer said, taking a seat beside the reading Lilia. Rather than candle-light the library was lit by what seemed as sunlight-mimicking enchantments on the ceiling and on a few fake windows. He glanced at those with [Arcane Revelation] out of curiosity and found the enchantment not too complex. At least the light part. The one that kept it going was both of more interest and far more complex.

Had Rainer been in a rush, that would have been the worst question to ask. The next few minutes were filled with Lilia talking about the Library and ignoring the one thing Rainer really wanted to ask which was the training she was receiving from the sensor.

"And the old man managing this place knows everything! I think he even…"

Oh well…

Rainer thought as he settled in to continue listening. He could always ask Sarah about said training later. Lilia seemed to grow more talkative and comfortable with them every day, he wasn't about to revert any of that recovery from her time as a slave by interrupting her.

"How is master doing this night?" Lilia eventually returned his question with a bit of a blush on her face, having now just fully realized her master had most likely not asked for a long explanation about the library and her time here. She had just been a bit too excited.

"I actually have something I could use your help with," Rainer said. With a quick pulse of [Soul Detection] he asked, "I need help making a list of ingredients for a certain ritual. Fake ingredients. They need to be available to the Royalty of the Dragon Isles while also costly enough that they can afford it, but they won't consider purchasing more than required for a few rituals. I already have Magic Crystals and Magicite as two ingredients."

Though, he may take off Magicite from it or, better yet, pretend to offer it from his own supply if it wasn't possible for said Wolf King, or any King, to acquire.

"Oh, it's related to money? I'll ask Aunt Sarah to help," Lilia responded, happy to have such a responsibility.

"I appreciate it," Rainer said, rubbing her head and [Void-walking] out of the room. He giggled a bit at the reputation Sarah had now as a money-grabber, and wondered how Sarah became 'Aunt Sarah' even if it technically fit. He had no notion of putting the whole task on their shoulders, but he had just received a ping from Gunthar so it seemed he had other plans for the evening.

Returning back to the ship at Gunthar's request, he sensed what the undead had called him about. Standing outside the door was the same guard who had come to fetch him earlier.

Rainer void-walked into the hall, and said Moon Elf spun around after a slight coughing noise. Quickly regaining composure, he spoke what he came here for.

"The Ambassador inquired if you would join her on the deck."

"I'll head out now."

Rainer noted that the crew had changed, now the ship was manned by more Moon Elves than anyone else. The replacement at the wheel used some faint bluish-light magic.

At the highest deck, a ways behind the wheel, Ele sat on the edge of the ship, enchanted stringed instrument already in hand. Rainer Void-walked to her side, now sitting on the railing himself. He had to give her credit, she barely even flinched when he just suddenly appeared. Had it not been for his quicker mind, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.

"I'm glad you could join me tonight," Ele was first to talk.

"The pleasure's all mine. I was quite disappointed with Ymir for interrupting my planned duet with you that night."

Ele raised her eyebrow slightly at the familiarity he had with the Wolf King, but filed it away for later, only mentally questioning what exactly led to their fight then.

"I'd be quite interested in a song from your homeland," Ele spoke.

"I thought you'd be playing first."

"Didn't you know that part of the deal for getting you as our guard was entertainment?"

"So I'm moonlighting as a musician then?" Rainer stifled a giggle at his own joke, knowing it wouldn't translate in more ways than one. He'd have to share this with Gunthar later.

The roll of her eyes surprised him. "You know there's a law in Neutral City that I could have you executed for such a joke."

"Good thing we're on open waters then."

"Well, I have to admit, it's far better than those who call me more beautiful than either Moon, thinking they are being clever."

"Of course it's better. And either Moon? Really? At best you're only better looking than the smaller one. The larger of the two has you beat."

"Compliments are always exaggerated," Ele responded back with a slight laugh.

"I'll pick out a song, join in when you can," Rainer said, weaving a guitar into his hand. Ele watched carefully as if trying to divine some secret, but the look on her face didn't betray her discovery of any such secrets.

Rainer briefly thought over what he should play. He didn't particularly feel like playing any of the songs he'd use as part of the excuse to get a girl into his room to hear him playing guitar, with his current goal not being that kind of private concert. Those had involved him playing whatever song happened to be popular at the moment. For all the flak a certain young popstar got, he had helped out Rainer quite a bit.

Moments later he thought of one. Hotel California was always a favorite of his, and it was different enough to the music he's heard thus far that it should either surprise or offend her delicate sensibilities, if she had any.

Rainer started a bit slower than usual, before slowly ramping up the speed along with his magic. A mixed in [Arcane Presence] on top of the magic visibly vibrating the air along with the notes, sent the working sailors to distraction. Even the captain lost his original spell as he found his focus brought to the back of the ship.

After some time he heard the magic and music of Ele beside him. It seemed he wasn't the only one who found following the magic of the music easier than the music itself. The magic in the air intertwined, carried along by the power of the Arcane as it lit up the night for miles on end.

Seeing the entire crew listening intently, Ele now included even as she accompanied him, Rainer got some understanding as to how the rumor of him spread. He had never actually stuck around after playing.

The song ended soon after, a silence brought over as the crew returned to their work with an unusual slowness. Ele let the silence hang a bit in the air, enjoying the leftover echo of magic that followed the music and spread out over the air and waters. The way his magic had brought hers in, taking her mind with it as well, and grasped around it hadn't been something she experienced before. She may have met musicians better than him and even her, but none of them could truly meld their magic playing with her as he did. Even if his technical skills lacked, the magic in the air showed no signs of that.

A few minutes of a comfortable silence later she spoke.

"That was quite the song. Had our performance together improved your abilities so much?" Ele asked, recalling him mouthing 'Thank you' to her the first time they met. Compared to the first time she accompanied him, the difference was distinct.

Rainer glanced at her, confused, before he took a look at the only real difference between now and then, apart from a slightly better constructed guitar.

[Bard: One who used music to entertain and draw emotion from a crowd of listeners. Their music lingers in the hearts and minds of others. 5% Experience Bonus. 5% Charisma Bonus when performing music.]

[Bard of Magic: One who used music in concert with magic to entertain and draw emotion from a crowd of listeners. Their magic holds within it the potential to shake hearts and alter minds. 10% Experience Bonus. 10% Charisma Bonus when performing music.]

[Bard of the Arcane Arts: One who wielded the power of the Arcane together with music to entertain and draw emotion from a crowd of listeners, altering their very being. The power of the Arcane holds within it to shake hearts, and alter mind and body. 15% Experience Bonus. 15% Charisma Bonus when performing music.]

On top of his already high Charisma, it likely altered how entertaining he was to quite the degree. After all, the technically best musicians and singers were often never the most popular.

"It did give me quite the inspiration."

Until it had been time for Rainer to go to sleep, the two took turns playing each other songs, her occasionally accompanying Rainer on his own, and him in turn. Several Moon Elves would likely wake up the next time with bruises on their heads for when they were scolded by the first mate for some mistake they made while distracted.

A far lesser punishment, given the first mate's own distraction.

A few more hours of a bit less sensational playing, Rainer quite glad at his own Constitution making such a long playing sessions feel easy on his hands, he prepared to go off to bed.

"It seems it's time for me to turn in. My Undead shall keep watch at all hours and inform me of any enemies. A good night then," Rainer said, [Void-walking] not to his room on the Ship but to the Wolf King's palace.

"Good night," An elven voice followed as her newest guard disappeared into nothingness.

"Kara, there is one thing we need to talk about," Rainer said, laying on the bed with Luna already sleeping between both him and Kara. Though, that was no guarantee where said Fairy would end up in the morning, sometimes moving, mumbling, and occasionally channeling Mana throughout the night. It had stopped waking them up quickly enough, though.

"That is?" Kara asked in a normal tone, knowing they had no chance of waking the sleeping Fairy.

"Last night your father found a Demon in his city. She ended up committing suicide before he managed to get anything out of her, but it's not hard to guess why she was here."

"I see…" Kara sighed.

"We can still stay here for a while, at the very least until my ship arrives in Neutral City and we have somewhere else to go. But I don't think we should risk it for longer than we need to."

"I agree," In truth, Kara wanted to leave a bit sooner, but she wouldn't mind staying longer if Rainer thought it was a good idea, "What kind of Demon was it?"

"A Harpy Demon."

"They are long-range scouts for the army, so any real forces might be quite far away."

"Good then," Rainer said. His thoughts briefly drifted to the foe he'd one day have to face en masse.

[Soul Trace]s opened up the possibility of a far better running ability, but never having a true home and having to constantly be on the run bothered him today as much as it did prior to taking his trial to become an [Archon].

Perhaps the Dungeon meet coming up wasn't so optional for the [Archon], as he had been treating it. Is him reaching the third tier the only way to be free of their pursuers in a permanent fashion?

Though, he now found himself curious as to what would happen to the Demons when the rest of the world's elite's rushed to the third tier? Of course, that was assuming any were successful but given how long they prepared and trained for he expected at least a few. Though, the Dungeon itself could end up a death trap for all they knew. Difficulty between dungeons proved to be quite variable.

Rainer now wondered how Demons had survived currently. They functioned as the enemies of the world and yet no one seemed to bother invading them. Given the fact that Demons were considered valuable resources by Mages, why didn't they try to take more of them? The north had invaded the Dragon Isles some decades ago, so they atleast had an equivalent strength to said isles.

And Demons themselves were the very thing the Tarainien should hate the most. Not only were they magical and more non-human than most, but they treated humans as resources to be used for unlocking their Demonic Aura. Yet, there was no conflict with the supposedly pro-human anti-pretty-much-everyone-else nation.

Did Demons have existences that far outranked the rest of the world? That bothered Rainer given their pursuit of Kara. He doubted they had anyone in their third tier, given that a Demon was likely far stronger than anyone else of a similar level. A third tier Demon should have made their presence known by obliterating the Mage Guilds. Or, there was another reason for them staying within their lands.

Maps never really showed what was on the other side of the Demon lands… Realizing that he only unnerved himself with this line of thought, he let his thoughts drift away as he headed to sleep.

In the white void of [Sleep Learning], the first thing Rainer did was create numerous copies of all the enchantments and enchanted items he knew, Void Gateways included. He did so at Sarah's request who found her practice with [Enchantment Manipulation] improving her physical strength with [Enchanted Flesh] just the same. That, and the money the venture promised was appealing to her.

Luna joined Sarah as a mobile [Appraisal] tool, as many of the items did not affect the status screen, and were therefore harder to tell if she succeeded. Rainer wasn't sure what his sister promised the little Fairy to get her to work that hard, and decided he'd rather not know. He noted that Sarah personally had the greatest interest in Rainer's coat, hoping he can eventually make a version based on her Mana.

"You know...that would make a nice professors coat for a future academy of mages," Rainer said. Enticing teachers would be a part of his plan and while Magicite would certainly help, it wasn't a tipping point for Mage Guild members who already had a supply of some.

Rainer left Sarah to her work, as he went with Kara to explain his theory on Aural Existences. Briefly noting the books Lilia currently used as reference as she made a list of something, Rainer thought over something nice he could do for his hardworking apprentice. Though, he doubted she'd truly want anything more than just more things to learn, not that he knew for sure. He'd have to get 'Aunt Sarah's' opinion on a physical gift, he mused, remembering he should ask soon why they seemed closer.

"So, what did you figure out?" Kara asked.

Based on the difference between Alaya and Ymir, despite them both being Aural Existences, Rainer had developed a basic hypothesis. Ymir was intertwined with his Aura where Alaya was a mix of that on top of having it in places. Meaning, simply having Aura around one's body in a more permanent fashion came first and then came the merge. Unlike say, becoming flame-touched which involved altering the Mana and then directly merging it with one's flesh in it's simplest form.

He could think of several ways to accomplish that, many of which were pointless as they were impossible for them to do, but the only ones he could think of they could actually try in the short term...

"I think they might require ingesting something to go through the process. Some sort of food, liquid, herb or whatever, maybe exactly what is so important about that mountain, where they can infuse it with their own Aura and then some part of the food takes on that Aura and is then absorbed into their body. Perhaps aided with their own Manipulation efforts so it permanently affects wherever it's absorbed."

"So, how are we going to copy that?"

"Eat food infused with Aura until we find something that can at least mimic whatever they are using. You could also try brute force shoving and manipulating it into places."

"Can you make some nice food for me?"

Rainer suddenly paused. For the first time he realized he could enjoy food, and food from Earth for that matter, with zero issues. Could drugs be used in here without dependence or consequence as well? He was surprised at himself for never thinking to do so when he was younger. Though, he was glad of it. He shook away that corrupting thought, not wanting to add such a distraction to his place of training. There was never a benefit to going down that road.

"I'll make more than enough," He said, figuring he'd throw in some things they ate at the Fae Realm, including Fae only food as well as anything they've eaten in the palace and isles thus far. It was possible after all, that the Wolf King had arranged for them to eat the very food they needed. Rainer had no idea the specifics of what he couldn't reveal.

Rainer briefly glanced back at Kara and all the food he made. He went with as great variety as he could, hoping that some of the processes involved in making the less natural food of Earth might somehow end up mimicking what they needed for the Aura to stick to the right parts.

Though, this all depended on his idea being even remotely correct or if said ingestible Aura the Wolf King and his Aural Existences might use could be mimicked by non-magical food. He shrugged. Worst case scenario, Kara got to have some fun trying out food from his home. Her phantom wolf doing plenty of training in the meantime. And outside of sleeping together, there wasn't much fun to be had in her training filled life.

Or perhaps she enjoyed improving her skills as much as he did with magic? Well, one could never have enough fun.

Rainer wielded the power of his [Sleep Learning] space as he built a massive wall around his party members. And then, after a warning about what he was doing, he went countless miles away, somewhere in his head realizing he still had a grasp on where everyone was no matter how far he went.

Standing alone in an empty sea of white, he briefly glanced at his shoulder, where Jor had appeared from before in this space. With the serpent seemingly more able to leave him, as he demonstrated earlier on the ship staying outside for hours, Rainer was struck with another idea.

Could Jor live in other people? If he could go with Kara to take her Trial...Rainer would be bereft of worry. Of course, he wouldn't force the serpent to do so, especially as said serpent seemed to be gaining more and more sentience, but it was certainly something to ask when Jor came out again.

With his mind back on the task at hand, Rainer did his best to recall the moment in his training that had happened earlier. Where he had apparently lost control and affected the entire crew in a strange way. Prior to entering the [Sleep Learning] he had auto-piloted on those memories.

Brow furrowing, he realized it was at some point when he nearly used all his resources. Not able to find the right moment, he just dived into his practice. Rainer used massive amount of Void Will and Mana as he repeated the practice from earlier this day.

He felt hints of it, even more so when he pulled on the created Void of his [Sleep Learning] space with said skill, but it never seemed to truly mesh with [Void Presence] as it had accidentally done this day.

What was missing?

The mind.

It was with the learning of his first Spear spell that he encountered it and his most recent research on rituals was Rainer exposed to the importance of one's state of mind. The ritual, for creating a mana pool and subsequently a partly sentient force of death, went into quite the detail on the importance of the emotional state and thoughts of those being sacrificed. And fetishtic explanations on how to accomplish it. But beneath the acts of assured evil there was benign knowledge. The reason he had fully memorized those books in the first place. The reason that Theodore gathered and studied them despite his society shunning him.

So Rainer thought of the Void. What it was, what it felt like. What the Void wanted as much as anything could actually want. [Void Call] was a hard skill to use, but once it was done the Void greedily consumed anything in its target path. To consume. To devour. Rainer reached out with his armed [Void Presence] once more, new thoughts in mind. Various skills went out on top of [Void Domain] as Rainer's thoughts focused more on what the Void's pressure would truly do. A presence that promised to surround and then devour all before it.

[Void Manipulation] seemed to merge with the Presence, bringing the skill to all but it's peak as the stifling pressure went out. He sunk his mind into his Void Will, bringing in his thoughts of devouring his foes. Reaching out into the Void, he pulled further, utilizing the knowledge that this place, no matter how connected to the true Void, was his. It was his to control, his to do with as he wished.

Time seemed irrelevant as he lost all track of it and sunk within the feeling of the Void. The endless energy of this space providing him to what would otherwise be impossible. He felt closer than he ever had with the Void he traveled nearly every day.

Rainer stretched his arms out wide, as if welcoming the coming Void. He sank into his Void Will even further, as more and more power poured from him trying to bring the power of the Void itself into his skill. [Void Presence] spread out, its pressure no longer just one of stifling but of something more. A looming power that wished to consume all before it.

With a final pull, not with any of his skills or spells of the Void, but with his [Sleep Learning], Rainer leveraged a power beyond. And the moment he had it, he gripped with [Void Manipulation] and [Void Presence] together to bring it forth. The world turned grey, and a presence that promised to consume all existence descended.

If, only for a moment.

[Void Presence has reached level 10]

[Void Presence has reached its maximum level. 7 skill points have been rewarded.]

[Void Presence has unlocked Void Descent lvl 1/10]

Rainer felt his mind weaken as he started losing himself in his Void Will. The pool of energy itself vibrated in his body before he quickly got a hold of himself and refreshed it. He had never channeled that amount nor sunk so deeply before.

And with the interruption the skill canceled.

More than [Void Mastery], more than [Void Manipulation] or any of his other skills, he felt [Void Descent] gave him a newfound control over the Void. He activated it once more, marveling as the world distorted to a subtle grey. And with a moment of thought a faster than usual [Void Call] erupted out. That made for a deadly opener, especially when they weren't aware of the existence of such a skill. He repeated it again, this time mixing in [Void Mastery] as the skill was intended for, the result truly spectacular, if nearly costing all his Void Will to make it at impressive speed.

Rainer guessed he himself could only dodge that with the aid of [Crisis Perception] unless he knew it was coming.

Though, using it simultaneously with anything else canceled [Void Descent] as it would with the original unarmed version of [Void Presence]. And without a tome on a Descent type skill, like he had with the original [Mana Presence], creating an armament version would be a far steeper task.

Rainer let out a deep breath, worries of where to take the skill in the future leaving with the exhaled air and exaltation coming back in. With another flip of the switch in his mind, the power of the Void itself descended again, unleashing an uncompromising presence. He himself felt the backlash of it, having not a full control over his new mental skill. It was...frightening. As if a being he could never hope to match promised to consume him whole.

Only his control over the white void of [Sleep Learning] let him know his practice didn't spread to his allies. With a final look into the emptiness of the white void, he returned to his party, their time here almost up. He needed to categorize any enchanted items Sarah managed to separate and check on Kara as well.

This night held many promises for the future.