NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
While my existence in the school had been a horrible, lonely experience, it also came with certain advantages, such as the absolute absence of any kind of friendship. Thus, 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 much attention. I wasn’t willing to risk my acting skills against the sharp eyes of all kinds 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 dining hall was not exclusive for the students with the magical focus, unlike the library.
It was a problem, because according to my readings, the students with a magic specialty rarely bothered to pick sensory skills, relying on spells to enhance their detection abilities instead. I wasn’t willing to take the same risk with the students on leadership or ranger track, at least not before I could enhance my Subterfuge skill to a reliable degree.
The next few hours were split between reading up on magic and trying to enhance my arcana skill, only to increase it by a single measly point. The culprit was easy to discover, the lack of risk. Unfortunately, without a minimum proficiency in the arcana ability, improving my spells was a slogging chore, destroying my plans. I sighed, deciding to focus on the theoretical side, and 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. Sleep eluded me since I couldn’t help myself from mentally calling up my status screen, a part of it burning in an annoying light.
Basic Arcana [2/25]
It shouldn’t really be a problem, as after spending years without gaining a level, or even thinking it was possible, I had gained two levels in rapid succession, at a speed that was unheard of, even for the first few levels. That should have been satisfactory enough to let me sleep.
It wasn’t, not when a part of my heart shouted at me to leverage the situation before it was lost just as quickly, ignoring the risks. I yearned to maximize my arcana skill at the same speed as I had improved my subterfuge skill.
In the end, I failed to resist the temptation, like a man lost in a desert who chanced upon an oasis, gorging himself with water despite knowing the dangers of greed. Sometimes, temptation was impossible to resist.
A sigh escaped my mouth as I stood up, my mind already musing on how to explain if I got caught during the process. The library was open at night, but it rarely had any students, therefore only a couple of 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 have been 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 the little poor Mule to find an expired order, only to follow it without realizing it.
With my problem solved, I quickly donned my librarian robe, and stepped into 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 to remind me 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. Finally, I had a chance to push back. Not explicitly, which admittedly removed some fun from 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 to my benefit, unbalancing his tray, making it tumble from his hands. A string of profanity left his mouth, quite a few of them targeting me for spreading my curse around. I didn't bother to retaliate further, watching him trying to salvage the remains of his late-night order was enough for revenge. I continued my journey, but the smile on my face was not just because of my revenge.
I had earned another skill point.
[+1 Arcana]
When I arrived at the library, my first victim wasn’t the only servant that was cursing the supposed bad luck I was spreading around. Some of them tripped, while the others lost their grip. If there had been a student around those servants, he would have been reported to the Headmaster, who had little patience for the pranks on the staff. That was one benefit of my reputation, I was above such suspicions. It was an asshole move, I would freely admit, but the resulting increase in my arcane skill was well worth it. After all the derision and humiliation that came from the staff during my tenure, I wasn’t feeling particularly merciful.
I spent the next hour in the library, which turned out quite productive. I started testing my abilities on two boys from rival houses, each working at tables that were not exactly close to each other. I started things off with a subtle telekinetic probe at one of them, while making sure I was standing just in front of the other , 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 in 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, not without alerting its owner, and I didn’t even know where to begin for partial dismantling. The smart thing would have been to turn back, and not risk the wrath of whoever that had put up the barrier.
I would have done just that, if it wasn’t for a moan that was strangely familiar, one that made me remember a very special moment in my life, I managed to place the moan 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. The lure of gaining more experience, as well as feasting my eyes on her beauty, was too tempting to miss, and I wouldn’t say no to seeing Marianne’s amazing body as well, hopefully she would be 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 that I had spent traversing the library, I had managed to memorize the layout of the library shelves with great accuracy, and my wisdom allowed me to recall that map flawlessly.
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. On a happy note, this increased my arcana skill by twice, probably factoring in 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 their 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 with an intensity that I never felt before. Maybe 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 cast a silencing charm after Cornelia’s errant moan. More power to me, as the safer they felt in their current position, the less attention they would pay to their environment. I pumped my shaft mercilessly, the unfamiliar sensation filling my body at a rapid pace…
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, the sharpening of my perception and the toughening of my body. If that was the way people felt when their power increased, I could easily see why they pitied the people with low level-cap. And the less it was said about my history, the better.
Still, the sociological implications of the System were easy to ignore as I watched Cornelia push 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. However 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 into 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, she failed to notice my manipulations until I lost control of the spell and ripped off her clothes.
My favorite gals were lost in pleasure, which was what I was banking on. With that in mind, I pushed my small probe to Marianne’s naked breasts, gently squeezing her nipple, which made her 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 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 was back at 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 in any way problematic, as not only an amazing view that I could enjoy was arrayed in front of me, but also I was gaining quite a bit of experience from the situation. Seeing Marianne shuddering with a climax triggered me for a second time. I also managed to earn more than five hundred experience points and several points of the 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 to 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 this 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 twisted her clit.
[+200 Experience]
The result was spectacular. Marianne rocked with pleasure, her back arching beautifully, and Cornelia’s followed her clue a moment later. Apparently, the joy of the moment made Marianne more active, something that Cornelia had clearly enjoyed.
I kept the pressure the same until I watched Cornelia’s hands 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 source of her pleasure, and added a small buzzing to my probe, that was 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 off if I got 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 spread over her body while wishing that it was my hands that danced freely on her soft skin. At Least I had remote access to her body, which was a good substitute until I could gain 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 even more, to push for even more, but when I saw a questioning expression on Cornelia’s face, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor. I didn’t know whether her questions would allow her to discover my outside assistance, and 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 had I nearly completed the development of my arcana abilities, but I had also gained enough experience for almost a 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] ]