There wasn’t much that could make Sofia visibly sweat anymore, but the vampire’s trade offer had been enough. She had gone on to explain more, a status trade was an actual function of the system, allowing two parties to simultaneously share their full unedited status screen. The full description of skills and such were hidden but the names and other information weren’t. Not only that, but the system would prevent both participants from sharing what they learned to others afterwards.
If she's really 14 and level 199 I'm sure her own status is plenty unusual too... Can I even do that sharing thing with the Scribe Only mode?
*Ding*
That should mean yes, I assume. Thanks for the confirmation.
Seeing Sofia hesitant to accept the young vampire walked around and explained her thinking.
“You need a trustworthy ally and source of information, and I’m dying to know more about the legendary Saint who escaped the church. The name, the blood, the wings, the undead skeletons! Nothing is what it should be, it’s like you’re not even Scripture’s Saintess at all!” She was quite excited, and noticing that about herself, she stopped her bantering, “Sorry, I’m the one acting out of turn now… Then, what do you say? I have plenty of secrets too! And like this we could trust each other,” she finished her speech, extending a hand up toward Sofia who was almost twice her height.
If she can’t tell anyone else about it… That’s actually very interesting… I could learn more about the kind of skills and stats I can expect from an Oracle. And if she trusts me I might be able to make her tell me more.
I don’t even mind showing my weird class that much, but I do worry a bit about the blessing and the mark… Well, she already knows the name so it won’t be too much of a surprise to her either.
If that also gains me more support from the Vampires, and potentially their god…
“Alright, let’s trade. But shouldn’t we go somewhere else first?”
“Ah! Where was my head, of course!” The vampire girl snapped. Sofia’s vision instantly changed to the inside of a cold moonlit room, seemingly inside a large stone building… And the anchor bracelet activated, draining twenty thousand mana points from Sofia and sending her back, alone, to the mountainside.
Oh. That’s unfortunate… Well at least the bracelet works really well.
She took the opportunity to recall Pareth and store him in the ring. A few seconds later, Astelia reappeared near Sofia. Observing her from head to toe, her eyes stopping on the pink bracelet.
“My apologies, I should have warned you first,” the vampire said, looking back down, “Please tell me if you’re ready.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it, let me take it off. Alright we can go when you want."
The girl nodded and snapped again.
That means she had at least sixty thousand mana to spare… And here I thought I was somewhat special with my stats, and we’re at the same filter!
The scenery changed to the same room. Sofia could get a better look at it this time, it was clearly some kind of entrance, judging from the coat hangers and foot drawers lining the stone walls. The room’s ceiling featured a large glass dome, channeling the moonlight's shine onto the polished ground. And unlike a regular entrance room, it only had one door. Either it leads outside or this is a room built for teleportation. Either way, this was quite the show of wealth already. Does she need so many different shoes? That’s at least forty pairs…
The vampire girl was busy taking off her shoes and putting on woolen slippers, she looked up at Sofia, “Welcome to my castle! You can keep your shoes on if you want, don't worry.”
Sofia nodded, she moved closer to a fogged up window and wiped the condensation with her glove. The sea? From the window, she could look down at the massive castle from what looked to be its very highest tower, and far below, the sea extended to the horizon. How huge is this castle exactly? This is larger than a city!
“This whole thing is your castle? It’s gigantic! Where are we exactly?”
“Oh, well, it is my castle but it’s a long story, this place is older than the human continent! It is called the Moonlit Castle, this is the whole reason Vasperia was created.”
“So we’re in Vasperia, past the black forest?”
“Yes, about a hundred kilometers east off the coast of Vasperia to be precise.”
Their conversation was interrupted by two light knocks on the door and a muffled voice, “Welcome back young lady, shall I prepare your boudoir?”
“Thank you Agran, I have a guest tonight, please set up the private salon.”
“It will be done,” the voice answered, followed by the soft echo of the man’s footsteps as he departed. Agran… That was the doorman at the embassy. Turns out he’s more of a personal butler?
Astelia walked to the door, “Follow me, don’t stray away, the castle can be dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
The short girl shrugged, “You will understand.” Sofia followed her out the entrance into a long corridor, and she indeed understood.
[You have entered the dungeon : Moonlit Castle - Lv. 400+, Restricted]
“What does ‘restricted’ mean?” Sofia asked.
“You need special privileges to access the boss.”
It’s fascinating how many things I still discover about the system even now… The duo advanced through a winding maze of lavishly decorated rooms and corridors until they reached a set of heavy wooden doors. This was still the top floor, despite the place being a dungeon, it seemed this floor at least was nothing more than the vampire’s actual home. There were a great many books and random artifacts neatly displayed on shelves and cabinets.
The room they entered was a rather small one with little more than a carpet, a lit fireplace, and two seats around a small round table covered in a purple and gold silk tablecloth.
“Take a seat,” Astelia said as she jumped on her chair that was a bit too high for her. Just as Sofia sat down, Agran knocked on the door and entered, holding a platter with two glasses and a silver pitcher that he set on the table before bowing and leaving.
[Protector - Lv. 300+]
Oh… Nothing shocks me anymore.
“No one can hear us talk from here, feel at ease,” Astelia said as she waved her hand and the pitcher moved by itself to serve them. That’s space magic of some kind, I think. She’s controlling each movement. It would be easier to do it by hand… What came out of the pitcher was a similarly silvery liquid, as if the pitcher was melting and pouring itself.
[Moonspring water] : A delicacy the Vampires keep a tight leash on, it tastes like a good nap.
I’m not one to doubt you, but are you sure you’re alright Mr Scribe? This description…
Sofia observed as her host sipped on the silver water and reclined in her chair, closing her eyes for a second. Dubious, Sofia took a sip too. She couldn’t help but do the exact same.
It actually tastes like a good nap?! I’m sorry I said anything… I want more… But first.
“Are we starting with the exchange?”
“That is fine with me,” the girl answered, taking her glass to her lips again.
“Which reminds me, if you’re fourteen, what was that about people not teaching their young properly last time we met?” Sofia asked, curious. Astelia, who had been drinking while holding her glass in both hands, was startled by this remark, she coughed a few times, almost choking.
“Don’t- This never happened!” she answered shyly, looking at the bare wall to her right.
“Sure, sure…” Does not ever lie, uhuh. “Actually, I may have a few questions first, if that’s fine with you.”
“As long as it’s not…”
“No, of course, rather it’s about my own name.” At that, the vampire regained her composure, “Yes, well. My reasoning about that, from the start, was that no one would be crazy enough to name themselves that unless it was true. I have no idea how someone that’s clearly a human would end up… Anyway, it should be fine as long as I don’t read it out loud. I believe… That is really your name, right?”
“It is. My whole status is rather unusual, as you could imagine… Are you not taking risks by looking at it? I don’t want anything of the sort to happen.”
“Honestly you’re probably better informed than I am on that matter, Sofia. But I’ve read the names before so… At the very least my God hasn’t warned against it.”
“Do you interact with your God often? I’m very interested in Oracles, for reasons…”
“I understand, I would want to be rid of my pursuers too, your bracelet is a good choice, and so was seeking me. I can tell you a lot. But you’ll have to tell me just as much about yourself!”
“That’s fine with me. Though if the topic is what you know, I will not be able to say a whole lot.”
“There is plenty more I want to know! Can you summon the skeleton rat again?”
The vampire looked, fascinated, at Sofia summoning the skeletal rat from her book. “That’s such a pretty skill! What a nice little guy, come here little rat!” she cupped her hands for the skeleton to climb in.
So I’m not the only one who likes to pet them. I feel ever so slightly less weird now. “Ah! Sorry I got distracted,” Astelia exclaimed as she let the rat back on the table, “So, about my God, she’s a rather distant one. Only ever warns me when I’m in danger, so not that often, her only real demand is that I work toward clearing this dungeon. And that is all there is to it, for me. The experience of each Oracle will be very different depending on the God.” She paused for a bit then switched subjects, “Actually let’s do the exchange now, that will help open the conversation both ways, we have all the time we want here anyway.”
“Let’s do it then, how does it work?”
“We need to shake hands while thinking that we wish to exchange status, that’s all.”
She extended her tiny and fragile looking right hand. Her hand was quite hot, much more than a regular human’s. The fireplace’s long orange flames reflected in her vivid red eyes.
[Secure sharing contract initiated]
There wasn’t much that could make Sofia visibly sweat anymore, but the vampire’s trade offer had been enough. She had gone on to explain more, a status trade was an actual function of the system, allowing two parties to simultaneously share their full unedited status screen. The full description of skills and such were hidden but the names and other information weren’t. Not only that, but the system would prevent both participants from sharing what they learned to others afterwards.
If she's really 14 and level 199 I'm sure her own status is plenty unusual too... Can I even do that sharing thing with the Scribe Only mode?
*Ding*
That should mean yes, I assume. Thanks for the confirmation.
Seeing Sofia hesitant to accept the young vampire walked around and explained her thinking.
“You need a trustworthy ally and source of information, and I’m dying to know more about the legendary Saint who escaped the church. The name, the blood, the wings, the undead skeletons! Nothing is what it should be, it’s like you’re not even Scripture’s Saintess at all!” She was quite excited, and noticing that about herself, she stopped her bantering, “Sorry, I’m the one acting out of turn now… Then, what do you say? I have plenty of secrets too! And like this we could trust each other,” she finished her speech, extending a hand up toward Sofia who was almost twice her height.
If she can’t tell anyone else about it… That’s actually very interesting… I could learn more about the kind of skills and stats I can expect from an Oracle. And if she trusts me I might be able to make her tell me more.
I don’t even mind showing my weird class that much, but I do worry a bit about the blessing and the mark… Well, she already knows the name so it won’t be too much of a surprise to her either.
If that also gains me more support from the Vampires, and potentially their god…
“Alright, let’s trade. But shouldn’t we go somewhere else first?”
“Ah! Where was my head, of course!” The vampire girl snapped. Sofia’s vision instantly changed to the inside of a cold moonlit room, seemingly inside a large stone building… And the anchor bracelet activated, draining twenty thousand mana points from Sofia and sending her back, alone, to the mountainside.
Oh. That’s unfortunate… Well at least the bracelet works really well.
She took the opportunity to recall Pareth and store him in the ring. A few seconds later, Astelia reappeared near Sofia. Observing her from head to toe, her eyes stopping on the pink bracelet.
“My apologies, I should have warned you first,” the vampire said, looking back down, “Please tell me if you’re ready.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it, let me take it off. Alright we can go when you want."
The girl nodded and snapped again.
That means she had at least sixty thousand mana to spare… And here I thought I was somewhat special with my stats, and we’re at the same filter!
The scenery changed to the same room. Sofia could get a better look at it this time, it was clearly some kind of entrance, judging from the coat hangers and foot drawers lining the stone walls. The room’s ceiling featured a large glass dome, channeling the moonlight's shine onto the polished ground. And unlike a regular entrance room, it only had one door. Either it leads outside or this is a room built for teleportation. Either way, this was quite the show of wealth already. Does she need so many different shoes? That’s at least forty pairs…
The vampire girl was busy taking off her shoes and putting on woolen slippers, she looked up at Sofia, “Welcome to my castle! You can keep your shoes on if you want, don't worry.”
Sofia nodded, she moved closer to a fogged up window and wiped the condensation with her glove. The sea? From the window, she could look down at the massive castle from what looked to be its very highest tower, and far below, the sea extended to the horizon. How huge is this castle exactly? This is larger than a city!
“This whole thing is your castle? It’s gigantic! Where are we exactly?”
“Oh, well, it is my castle but it’s a long story, this place is older than the human continent! It is called the Moonlit Castle, this is the whole reason Vasperia was created.”
“So we’re in Vasperia, past the black forest?”
“Yes, about a hundred kilometers east off the coast of Vasperia to be precise.”
Their conversation was interrupted by two light knocks on the door and a muffled voice, “Welcome back young lady, shall I prepare your boudoir?”
“Thank you Agran, I have a guest tonight, please set up the private salon.”
“It will be done,” the voice answered, followed by the soft echo of the man’s footsteps as he departed. Agran… That was the doorman at the embassy. Turns out he’s more of a personal butler?
Astelia walked to the door, “Follow me, don’t stray away, the castle can be dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
The short girl shrugged, “You will understand.” Sofia followed her out the entrance into a long corridor, and she indeed understood.
[You have entered the dungeon : Moonlit Castle - Lv. 400+, Restricted]
“What does ‘restricted’ mean?” Sofia asked.
“You need special privileges to access the boss.”
It’s fascinating how many things I still discover about the system even now… The duo advanced through a winding maze of lavishly decorated rooms and corridors until they reached a set of heavy wooden doors. This was still the top floor, despite the place being a dungeon, it seemed this floor at least was nothing more than the vampire’s actual home. There were a great many books and random artifacts neatly displayed on shelves and cabinets.
The room they entered was a rather small one with little more than a carpet, a lit fireplace, and two seats around a small round table covered in a purple and gold silk tablecloth.
“Take a seat,” Astelia said as she jumped on her chair that was a bit too high for her. Just as Sofia sat down, Agran knocked on the door and entered, holding a platter with two glasses and a silver pitcher that he set on the table before bowing and leaving.
[Protector - Lv. 300+]
Oh… Nothing shocks me anymore.
“No one can hear us talk from here, feel at ease,” Astelia said as she waved her hand and the pitcher moved by itself to serve them. That’s space magic of some kind, I think. She’s controlling each movement. It would be easier to do it by hand… What came out of the pitcher was a similarly silvery liquid, as if the pitcher was melting and pouring itself.
[Moonspring water] : A delicacy the Vampires keep a tight leash on, it tastes like a good nap.
I’m not one to doubt you, but are you sure you’re alright Mr Scribe? This description…
Sofia observed as her host sipped on the silver water and reclined in her chair, closing her eyes for a second. Dubious, Sofia took a sip too. She couldn’t help but do the exact same.
It actually tastes like a good nap?! I’m sorry I said anything… I want more… But first.
“Are we starting with the exchange?”
“That is fine with me,” the girl answered, taking her glass to her lips again.
“Which reminds me, if you’re fourteen, what was that about people not teaching their young properly last time we met?” Sofia asked, curious. Astelia, who had been drinking while holding her glass in both hands, was startled by this remark, she coughed a few times, almost choking.
“Don’t- This never happened!” she answered shyly, looking at the bare wall to her right.
“Sure, sure…” Does not ever lie, uhuh. “Actually, I may have a few questions first, if that’s fine with you.”
“As long as it’s not…”
“No, of course, rather it’s about my own name.” At that, the vampire regained her composure, “Yes, well. My reasoning about that, from the start, was that no one would be crazy enough to name themselves that unless it was true. I have no idea how someone that’s clearly a human would end up… Anyway, it should be fine as long as I don’t read it out loud. I believe… That is really your name, right?”
“It is. My whole status is rather unusual, as you could imagine… Are you not taking risks by looking at it? I don’t want anything of the sort to happen.”
“Honestly you’re probably better informed than I am on that matter, Sofia. But I’ve read the names before so… At the very least my God hasn’t warned against it.”
“Do you interact with your God often? I’m very interested in Oracles, for reasons…”
“I understand, I would want to be rid of my pursuers too, your bracelet is a good choice, and so was seeking me. I can tell you a lot. But you’ll have to tell me just as much about yourself!”
“That’s fine with me. Though if the topic is what you know, I will not be able to say a whole lot.”
“There is plenty more I want to know! Can you summon the skeleton rat again?”
The vampire looked, fascinated, at Sofia summoning the skeletal rat from her book. “That’s such a pretty skill! What a nice little guy, come here little rat!” she cupped her hands for the skeleton to climb in.
So I’m not the only one who likes to pet them. I feel ever so slightly less weird now. “Ah! Sorry I got distracted,” Astelia exclaimed as she let the rat back on the table, “So, about my God, she’s a rather distant one. Only ever warns me when I’m in danger, so not that often, her only real demand is that I work toward clearing this dungeon. And that is all there is to it, for me. The experience of each Oracle will be very different depending on the God.” She paused for a bit then switched subjects, “Actually let’s do the exchange now, that will help open the conversation both ways, we have all the time we want here anyway.”
“Let’s do it then, how does it work?”
“We need to shake hands while thinking that we wish to exchange status, that’s all.”
She extended her tiny and fragile looking right hand. Her hand was quite hot, much more than a regular human’s. The fireplace’s long orange flames reflected in her vivid red eyes.
[Secure sharing contract initiated]
