All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

Before they sat down to dinner, each member of the party took a few moments to freshen up, leaving Justin and Myrelle alone in the main showroom. Neither had the need to clean up since Justin had his Ring of Hygiene while Myrelle had her Immaculate Presentation boon.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable.

Justin gestured toward the side room, where they kept specialized inventory. Myrelle followed without a word, but something in the way she held herself—shoulders slightly drawn in, gaze fixed somewhere past his left shoulder—told him she'd been hurt.

As unpleasant as it was, he had to address it.

"I'm sorry I got you pulled into this," Justin said at last. "It was never my intention to lie. When you're undercover, you have to..."

He trailed off. Everything coming out of his mouth sounded like an excuse. Justifications didn't matter. What mattered was being honest now.

"I hope you can forgive me."

Myrelle was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. When she spoke, her voice was measured. "I know we probably don't have time for this conversation, but I need to know. Was any of our friendship real? Or was I just another mark in your investigation?"

"It was real," Justin said immediately. "The undercover work, the fake title—that was the mission. But getting to know you? That was real." He met her eyes. "Without you, without your knowledge of the tunnels and your connections at court, the Cult would have won. It was your insistence on being involved that made the difference."

Some of the tension left her shoulders. "I still want in. On whatever comes next. I've told you this before. I'm Lady Myrelle Corrin, with influence and resources. But since you arrived, I've been neglecting my duties—my charity work, my obligations to the Church of Light." She paused, seeming to steel herself. "And what you said about... where you're from... it's making me question things I've taken for granted my entire life."

She glanced toward the doorway, then lowered her voice further.

"To claim there's anything beyond the Aetherion, beyond the Six Worlds of Creation and the Three Realms... in less enlightened times, people were killed for such talk. Burned as heretics. It's still considered heresy today. Aranthia is more tolerant than most, but go south to Gaerlon, Tanitz, or Orvend..." She shook her head. "If they could prove what you are, prove where you're from..."

She left the implication hanging.

"You're afraid for me," Justin said quietly.

"Of course I am." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm afraid of many things right now. The fact that it's real, that Earth exists, that you're standing here from another world, and you working with Alistair, and him being a Templar..." She pressed a hand to her temple. "It's too much to process."

Footsteps on the stairs broke the moment.

"Justin! Dinner!" Lila's voice called from just out of sight. "Myrelle, you're staying, right?"

Myrelle shook her head, speaking only to Justin. "As much as I'd like to, I can't. Not tonight."

"The city might be dangerous right now," Justin said.

"Do you forget who I am?" A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "I'll be fine."

She moved back into the main showroom, Justin following. Lila watched them from the stairs, her green eyes sharp and perceptive.

"I appreciate the invitation, Miss Fairwind," Myrelle said, her manners sliding back into place, "but my father will be worried. I told him this morning I'd only be a few hours, and it's been most of the day."

"Of course," Lila said, though her expression suggested she understood there was more to it.

"I should go." Myrelle glanced at both of them, but her next words seemed aimed primarily at Justin. "We'll catch up later."

"I'll walk you out."

He followed her outside. The evening air was cool, and the alley was quiet save for a few distant voices. Myrelle was already summoning Comet, the magical steed materializing with a soft shimmer of rainbow light.

"Myrelle—"

"I'm not angry," she said, mounting smoothly. "Just... confused. And I have a strong feeling I should get home sooner rather than later." Her hand moved to the reins. "Tomorrow?"

"I can come by." He paused. "Myrelle... thank you. For not hating me."

Her expression softened slightly. "I could never hate you, Justin. I'm just... processing." She urged Comet forward. "Tomorrow."

Justin watched until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight. With Comet's speed, she'd be home in thirty minutes or less.

Back inside, he locked the door and stood for a moment in the quiet shop. The colorful potions glowed on their shelves. Everything looked normal. Peaceful, even.

But an anxious twist had settled in his chest.

The Lich was banished. Blackwood was dead. Valdrik was on the run.

So why did it feel like something bad was still coming?

Justin headed upstairs. If that were true, Eldrin would sense it. Though he was a Field Synthesist now, he still carried a Ranger's abilities.

He joined the others at the table to find a sumptuous feast waiting. Tammy had outdone herself again: a roasted spring lamb with herbs, its crackling skin golden and fragrant; fresh asparagus spears drizzled with butter and lemon; potatoes roasted until crispy; a salad of greens with edible flowers; braised spring peas with mint; bread still warm from the oven; and for dessert, a rhubarb and strawberry pie with a flaky crust, its filling bubbling and sweet-tart. She claimed that with the excitement in the city, the store had closed early, and she'd had time to put it all together.

Justin didn't see how it was possible, even given that; but what he did know was that he had never been so ravenous. As hard as it was to believe, he'd only seen Rinna, Ilsa, and Rita that morning—but it felt like a lifetime ago.

And he could tell they were curious from the stares. Likely, they had already heard some rumors and maybe had even seen the drake.

"Mr. Talemaker," Rinna said slowly, her eyes moving from his new midnight-blue coat to the Syncretic Cane leaning against his chair. "That's... new."

"Very new," Ilsa agreed. "And that coat alone must be worth—" She swallowed. "Well, some things are priceless, aren't they?"

Justin exchanged glances with his companions. There was no hiding it.

"I suppose you've heard about the Vault," Justin said simply. "We were... involved."

Lila held back laughter at the drastic understatement.

"Involved?" Rinna's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?"

Justin looked at Alistair, who gave a slight nod. He'd planned to wait, to coordinate their story properly. But his new gear was evidence that simply couldn't be explained away.

"We were part of the main battle," Justin admitted. "Against the Lich."

The room went absolutely still.

"The Level 50 Lich?" Rita's voice was barely a whisper. "The one they're saying appeared in the throne room itself, if rumors are true?"

"The same," Eldrin confirmed.

There was a collective silence as the women considered this. Tammy's eyes were appraising, Rita's were wide, Rinna's were filled with awe, while Ilsa appeared almost skeptical.

"How are you even alive?" Ilsa asked bluntly. "Something like that should have killed you all instantly."

"It nearly did," Lila said. "Multiple times."

Justin realized his explanation would be a delicate dance. For the next twenty minutes, he kept the conversation light—at least as light as one could while discussing battling an ancient embodiment of death. They confirmed the basic facts: yes, they'd fought Belshar. Yes, they'd helped banish him. Yes, the rewards had been... exceptional.

But they carefully avoided certain details, especially regarding Justin's origins, Elena, and Irina. Justin did reveal he had been working with the Templars, as well as admitting he never actually was a noble, just a wealthy adventurer.

"Though I actually am a noble now," he finished. "The Queen herself knighted me."

This led to even more astonishment and questions, which Justin answered as best as he could. He could tell his employees were not entirely satisfied. He couldn't delve too deeply into the details of his mission with the Templars or discuss his origins—topics that could jeopardize their lives simply by knowing them. Thankfully, they seemed to understand that whatever had happened was too vast and complex to explain properly over dinner.

Once Tammy, Rinna, Ilsa, and Rita had cleared the dishes and retired for the evening, the party gathered in Justin and Lila's office behind closed doors.

"They were going to find out one way or another," Justin said, closing the door. "Better it comes from us than from tavern gossip."

"Agreed," Lila said, leaning against the desk. "You didn't mislead them in any way."

"The edited truth," Justin said.

"The real question is what this means for Summon & Supply's future," Lila said. "Valdrik is still out there. He's always known where we are—he just didn't strike because he wanted to keep things quiet. But now?" She shook her head. "The conspiracy is exposed. He's on the run. What's to stop him from lashing out?"

"I doubt he'll be in any position to strike, at least in the near term," Alistair said. "He's being hunted by the Templars and the Crown. That said..." He frowned. "There are likely dozens of other conspirators at varying levels of involvement. Moving that many undead into the palace tunnels would require an extensive network—dozens of people looking the other way, at a minimum."

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"Yes, that remains a mystery," Eldrin said, his voice thoughtful. "How did they manage it? Where did all those bodies come from?"

Something clicked in Justin's mind—a connection he should have made earlier.

"Maybe it goes back to when we arrived in Belmora," he said. "Remember Blithe and his barge? The women he trafficked? We always assumed it was slavery or worse. But what if there was more to it?" He met their eyes. "If you're the Cult of Morvath and you need a supply of bodies for your undead army, what better source than people no one will miss? People with no families, no connections, no one to ask questions?"

Lila's face darkened. "The Aurelians. If anyone in this city had the means..."

"It would be possible," Alistair said. "The River Marin provides access to the palace tunnels by water. But you'd need to pay off a lot of people to look the other way—guards, dock workers, palace staff..."

"And Blackwood was the Queen's Chief Advisor," Justin added. "He likely had the power to fire anyone loyal to Her Majesty and install his people, especially as she fell more under his sway. These would be people who owed their positions to him and couldn't afford to question his orders."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves," Alistair cautioned. "Yes, the Count Aurelian may have the means, but the motive is less likely. They benefit from having the Queen in power. However, there may be something we're overlooking. It's worth investigating."

Lila laughed. "The worst part is, even if it's true, we can't do a thing about it. Thanks to Justin's Gentleman's Agreement with Count Aurelian."

"Not exactly," Justin said. "There's nothing in the contract that stops us from investigating a connection. I just can't take any action that would damage House Aurelian's interests." He paused. "We can figure out if he's involved. We just can't act on it until the contract expires."

"And when does it expire?" Eldrin asked.

Justin summoned the contract in his interface. The script appeared before his eyes. It was visible only to him.

"October seventh this year," he read. "That gives him about five more months of immunity."

"But the same immunity terms apply to you, right?" Lila pressed. "Which means he couldn't have been involved, because funneling bodies to the Cult would have harmed you."

"Maybe the Aether considered that action too general to count as specifically targeting Justin," Alistair suggested. "The Cult's goals were bigger than one person."

"Maybe," Lila said, unconvinced.

"Five months is enough time to figure out if he's connected," Alistair said. "I'll mention the possibility to Templar Tiffany. Let her people investigate."

"But that raises another question," Justin said. "If sharing this information could harm Count Aurelian's interests, would the Agreement have even let me mention it? Or does the contract only prevent actions, not words?"

Lila groaned. "This is melting my brain."

"If the System stops you from talking about it, you'll know," Alistair said. "For now, assume you can investigate until proven otherwise."

Justin nodded; that was all they had to go on, at least for now. If Aurelian was involved and it got traced back to Justin's tip, would the System punish him for violating the contract? Or was it allowing the investigation because Aurelian wasn't involved at all?

Justin had to assume that if he went too far, he'd get pushback from the System in some obvious way.

"We should rest," Alistair said. "Tomorrow, we'll need to be ready for whatever orders Tiffany sends our way."

It was the best idea Justin had heard all day.

As the others filed out, Justin thought about the future. If they were going to hunt Valdrik, that meant leaving the business behind for perhaps months on end. He could always close it... at this point, he certainly didn't need it.

But he didn't want his employees left without jobs or direction. They'd proven themselves capable and deserved better than to be abandoned.

It was time for Ilsa to get her Scholar class. She should have received it weeks ago. He'd talk to her tomorrow. Offer her the manager position properly, with a raise to match. She'd earned it a dozen times over, and he owed her the chance to prove herself if he had to leave for extended periods.

Whatever happened, he'd damn well make sure they were taken care of.

He needed to get stronger. More legendary titles. More levels. More Vaults. With two Prismatic Cores, finding them would be easier than ever. He couldn't face a Level 37 Necromancer Lexicant with decades of knowledge and a vast arsenal of spells as a Level 20-something, even if he had a unique Prismatic Class.

Then there was the Earth connection. Elena and Irina would contact him eventually. When that happened, what would it mean for his friendship with Alistair? The Paladin was oath-bound not to reveal Justin's origins, but there would be friction and divided loyalties—duties Alistair couldn't ignore, no matter how much he might want to.

It was too much to think about right now.

Justin headed upstairs to his room, removing his boots before collapsing onto the bed. Despite the intricacy of The Hero's Raiment, it was as comfortable as regular clothing, so he didn't bother changing. Plus, it felt good to be ready for anything.

Tomorrow would bring answers, or at least new questions.

Morning light slanted through the window, painting bars across the wooden floor.

Justin opened his eyes, expecting the ache of exhaustion.

Instead, energy thrummed through his limbs. His mind was sharp and alert. The Hero's Raiment had worked its magic overnight—the Legendary Vitality enchantment accelerating his recovery far beyond normal rest. There was no ache at all, no soreness—something he should have expected after yesterday's ordeal.

Almost immediately, the System's Voice entered his mind.

But it wasn't the level-up notification he'd been expecting. It was something else entirely.

[New Legendary Title Unlocked: The Hero of Belmora!]

Justin sat up in bed. Less than twelve hours. It had formed in less than twelve hours.

His public declaration had worked. The story was already spreading.

He read the details with growing excitement:

"He risked his life to stand against the Nightbringer, a foe many times greater than he, smiting him back into the Nether from whence he came, thus saving both Queen and Country—an action that defies all reasonable expectation given the vast level differential."

Tale spread by: Queen Eleanor II, various nobles, courtiers, and servants of the Belmoran Royal Palace, and various citizens of Belmora.

Current Reach: Local (Belmora City)
Potential Growth: Regional Tale

Title Benefit: Gain +5% to all Attributes when facing at least one higher-level opponent.

At first, Justin was a bit crestfallen. Five percent didn't really sound like a lot, and it only worked if he was facing a higher-level opponent.

Then again, it affected all his attributes. With his current stats, that meant at least one extra point to everything except Charisma—which would gain four or five points from the modifier alone.

And this was just the Local tier. Regional came next, then Continental, and it stood to reason something like "World" would come after. Each tier would presumably increase the percentage. A Continental-tier version of this title could grant fifteen or twenty percent—enough to make him punch far above his weight class against any higher-level opponent.

That was when this title would become far more useful.

Before he could consider further implications, the next System prompt returned.

[You have reached Level 22. You have chosen to step into the light. No more hiding in shadows, no more downplaying your deeds. You are becoming what the stories say you are—a hero whose name will echo through the ages. The path ahead is perilous, but glory awaits those brave enough to seize it.]

[You have three attribute points to distribute.]

Justin, as usual, allocated all three to Charisma.

[Your Charisma is now: 60]

[Your Amulet of Equilibrium has ascended! It now confers 10 to all non-dominant attributes!]

[You have unlocked your next Class Boon. Choose wisely; there is no going back.]

Two options materialized in Justin's awareness:

Legendary Ascension (Ascendant): The stories of your deeds are just beginning. Let them spread like wildfire across the land. Your legendary tales now spread 2.5% faster per Legendary Title you hold, facilitating the formation of new legends and allowing existing ones to ascend more quickly.

Glory's Compounding (Ascendant): Power begets power. Each legend you build makes experience come easier and faster. Gain 2.5% bonus experience points per Legendary Title you possess.

Justin leaned back against the headboard, his mind racing through the implications.

He considered Glory's Compounding first. In most games, experience bonuses were noob traps. It was a waste of a perk to gain experience faster since that experience could be earned with just a few hours of extra grinding.

But this wasn't a game. The experience requirements here were brutal, especially once an Advanced Class was unlocked. Going from Level 21 to 22 required 37,000 experience points, and the requirements increased by roughly 30% each level.

He couldn't even imagine what things would look like at Level 30. By then, it might take years to gain a single level through normal means.

Glory's Compounding would give him a 12.5% experience bonus with his current five titles. As he accumulated more legends, that bonus would grow. Ten titles? Twenty-five percent bonus. Twenty titles? Fifty percent. The compounding effect could cut months, even years, and the perk was only wasted, in theory, once he reached max level, which, in this universe, was likely 100, assuming he got six Prismatic Cores.

Level 100 just wasn't in the cards. That was the same level as gods in this universe.

More levels meant more power, more survivability, and a better ability to face threats like Valdrik. It meant reaching Level 40 and his Ascendant Class faster, something that definitely was within reach. It meant catching up to enemies who'd been at this for decades.

Valdrik was Level 37. Blackwood had been Level 40. If Justin wanted any hope of facing threats like them, he needed levels. Fast.

But the second option, Legendary Ascension, might be the better strategic play.

The Living Legend class revolved around the legend spread mechanic. His power didn't just come from levels; it came from his legendary titles and how far they reached. A Local-tier title was useful. A Regional-tier title was powerful. A Continental-tier title could be game-changing.

With his current five titles, Legendary Ascension would make his stories spread 12.5% faster. At ten titles, that became 25% faster. At twenty, 50% faster. An exponential feedback loop—the more famous he became, the faster he became more famous.

Faster spread meant his titles would advance through tiers more quickly. The Hero of Belmora would reach Regional status faster, unlocking better bonuses. Future titles would form from his deeds with greater ease, creating more opportunities for permanent power gains.

And, in theory, he could gain titles far more quickly than he could unlock new levels. Because titles, as far as he knew, were limitless.

There was the social concern, too. His reputation would precede him, opening doors that might otherwise remain closed. People would expect heroism from him, creating their own opportunities. Bards would seek him out. Nobles would want to hire him. Common folk would rally to his cause.

But how much control did he really have over the spread mechanic? At least Glory's Compounding was pure mathematics. It was reliable. Predictable. You killed monsters and cleared Vaults, and you gained experience and leveled up faster. Simple.

Legendary Ascension was messier, more human, and more dependent on factors he couldn't entirely control. The 12.5% faster spread would make people more likely to tell his stories, but what did that actually mean? Did it make each individual 12.5% more likely to share a tale? Did it make stories travel 12.5% farther before fading? The mechanics weren't entirely clear.

Both boons were excellent, but he could only choose one.

Justin stared at the ceiling, weighing his options. Which mattered more: getting a head start on levels or becoming more famous faster? The sure thing, or the boon with a higher theoretical limit?

If a sure thing was best, the experience boost would definitely be useful. Indeed, he might regret choosing Legendary Ascension when he was Level 35 or 36, knowing he could have already reached Level 40 had he only chosen Glory's Compounding.

He was about to select Glory's Compounding... but hesitated.

It just didn't feel right. Like a betrayal to the spirit of the class he had just adopted.

Living Legend wasn't about grinding faster. It was about becoming something people remembered. Something that mattered.

Had Reginald given him that Prismatic Core so he could min-max his way to Level 40? Justin realized he had not. Justin had earned it, only because Reginald believed he could be something more.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Justin muttered to himself.

Before he could doubt himself, he selected Legendary Ascension.

[You have chosen: Legendary Ascension. Your deeds will spread like wildfire across the Aetherion, inspiring hope in the hearts of the downtrodden and fear in the souls of the wicked. The world will know your name, and your name will become power. May your legend endure when all else fades to dust.]

Strangely, Justin didn't feel any different. There was no sign, no inner sensation that he may have just taken his most consequential boon so far.

At last, he rose from bed and put on his new top hat and grabbed his cane.

Time to face the day.