When The Cute Godkiller Opens A Tavern [OP Mentor, SoL, LitRPG]

"Some that showed up were one in a million. She was one in a trillion." ~Shallies Mythernal

"Spell Preparation lets you pre-cast, well… Spells," Shallies began as she and Grace's party stood on their training field. She was mostly addressing Tayin, but she hoped the other two were paying attention as well. "What Spells you can pre-cast and how many depends on your Skill Proficiency. The problem with most Chronosparks is that your time-altering Spells can only be pre-cast once your Spell Preparation and said Spell are both at Adept Proficiency."

"That's why I'm stuck with elemental-based Spells." The halfling sighed. "They have way shorter incantations than my chronomancy. At my best, I could cast them after five seconds, whereas a Fire Lance would take me two or three."

"With incantation shortcuts, you can cast Fire Lance in a second, and we're not even putting your Focus Attribute into account. A lot of Hero Class Spellcasters I know, one of which is a Chronoadept, can cast or pre-cast their favorite Spells with an utterance because their Focus and Mana-Affinity allow them to incorporate their thoughts as actual incantations. Some can even cast without saying a single word."

To demonstrate, Shallies pointed a finger to the skies and cast the Fire Lance Skill numerous times without any incantations. She did them in quick succession, with varying strengths and distances. Tayin and Grace looked at the performance with widened eyes. Ren was paying attention as well, but he seemed to assume that the current lesson wasn't for him.

A wrong impression that quickly needed to be rectified.

As a way to entice his attention, Shallies trained her finger at him and cast the same Skill. The Fire Lance erupted, with a greater flame, but it never reached the Shield Knight. The effect however, was immediately apparent, as he hastily protected himself in a panic. The two students laughed at him, but their teacher held up a finger to hush them.

"I know you don't cast Spells, Ren," Shallies began, "but I promise you that learning this will also be helpful to you. If you understand how others cast their Spells or utilize whatever Skill they have, you can react faster than most people. Given your Class, I know that sort of information is the difference between safety and danger."

"You make it sound like we're going to fight people instead of monsters," Ren said. His face was red, but he started paying more attention.

"To be clear, some monsters can actually cast Spells. And technically, who's to say?" Shallies shrugged. "Quests don't always involve monsters. Sometimes you have to deal with people too. The more you advance your levels, the more likely you are to meet people you don't agree with. Some of them might not be content to settle things with just words.

"Besides, this sort of thing works both ways. If you know how your ally casts a Spell, understanding what it is, when it will go off, how strong it will be, up to where it will reach, and all that other miniscule information you can determine, helps a whole lot. It'll make you more effective on the field during encounters, since you can put your attention into things other than just spellcasting."

Not just Ren, but the two girls looked just as confused.

"Alright, to help you visualize, I have Apple here." Shallies gestured to her side where the teacup fairy stretched and yawned while floating in the air. "Observe how we cast our Spells. Tap into your Mana-Affinity. We'll take it slow."

The semi-retired Godkiller started casting a basic Light Spell, a common Magic Skill favored by many starting adventurers. While spending mana on these utility Skills was not exactly optimal, Light, in its most basic level, cost negligible mana. Shallies made sure the orb of light in her palm wasn't blindingly bright.

On the other hand, the teacup fairy conjured a berry with Conjure Food. While not as great as actual cooked meals, conjured ones were great for emergency rations. Depending on how much Apple wanted to commit, the berry could keep whoever ate it full for an entire day. It could even take care of thirst.

"Okay. Who saw the amount difference?" Shallies asked. "In terms of mana."

None of the three raised their hands.

"Okay… Who saw the mana movement?"

This time, all three raised their hands.

"Whose was quicker?"

They pointed at her.

"Whose was brighter?"

They shrugged. Shallies pointed at herself.

"Whose was more colorful?"

They pointed at Apple.

Shallies and Apple nodded and dispersed their Spells. At the very least, while none were promising, all three were at the same level of experience when it came to reading mana movement.

"There are more factors you can study than just speed, brightness, and color, when it comes to reading mana," she began. "The more you encounter people casting Spells, the more you will have an idea of what they are. For example, Flame Lance."

Shallies began casting the Spell, but she didn't outright release it. She deliberately slowed down how her mana manifested into the Magic Skill. A tongue of flame flickered at the tip of her finger.

"Speed won't help you determine the Spell, since this is pretty dependent on the person, rather than the Spell itself. But you'll get an idea how much time you have to react. Brightness will give you some idea of its intensity. Color will show you some hints regarding its element, if there are any."

"Flame Lance looks like red and orange," Tayin started, observing Shallies with determined eyes. "The brightness keeps on fluctuating."

"That's because I'm adjusting the strength of the Spell on the fly to give you an example." After allowing the others a few more seconds to observe, she eventually allowed the Spell to fizzle out. "In time, you'll even be able to gauge the pressure of the Spell or even assume the caster's Skill Proficiency with it. But it takes a lot of careful observation on top opportunities to study them."

"That sounds super complicated," Ren said. He wasn't exactly complaining, but was more of letting the complexity of something so subtle sink into him.

"That's why part of your training today is to study your own mana-flow at a deeper level," Shallies concluded. She was about to continue when Grace raised her hand.

"What about the moving meditation thing?" she asked.

"The Perpetual Method?" Shallies slightly shook her head. "Despite what Valor'el warned you about, it takes a long time for the basic meditation to strain your mana-channels. Besides, understanding and mastering this lesson is a prelude to The Perpetual Method."

Tayin and Ren raised their hands next, and Shallies went on to explain The Perpetual Method to them the same way Valor'el did. She omitted some of the nuances that usually intimidated any adventurer under the Hero Class rank. Telling them the full complexity of the method would quickly diminish their interest. Instead, she showcased the benefits of it, trying to convince the three—even though Grace was already fully sold on it—how advantageous acquiring something like this would be for the longevity of their careers.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"But you can't begin the initial steps of this method without fully comprehending your mana-flow and your mana-channels. Mana-Affinity and Focus greatly influences your ability to observe these things, but you don't need an absurd amount of it. Remember, it's not a Skill that the System provides, but a skill you actually develop. The same way The Perpetual Method is all about your personal ability."

"You know, I originally thought we would just be sparring all day again," Ren said.

"There'll be time for that," Shallies answered with a smile. "Maybe this afternoon."

The three trainees needed no further convincing. They all looked for their own personal space to train and meditate. As she was observing them, Shallies felt familiar presences approach towards their direction. She immediately asked Apple to prepare the kitchen. A few minutes later, Ben and Marisa appeared, coming from Catelyn Road. She had kept the outer gate to her property opened, realizing that some people might want to use it. She had another gate for her house anyway.

The couple waved their hands as they saw them out in the field. Shallies met them after leaving a few more instructions to Grace's party.

"Make sure you come back for lunch," she said to them before escorting her new guests. "What brings you here?"

"We wanted to check out how your tavern's coming," Ben replied.

"And we found a seller for the cowblinks you requested. A farm not far from ours is willing to sell a bunch. We'll share the details with you and the buyer."

"Great. I have a bunch of items on my menu, and I'll introduce you to the buyer right away."

They took the long way around the tavern since the backdoor led to the kitchen. There by the dining hall, Shallies introduced Valor'el to the couple. Ben and Marisa were expectedly amazed by the seraph, who reluctantly showed off his wings upon request. They quickly hit it off thanks to Apple's freshly brewed tea.

"I'll have your trusty Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese combo," Marisa ordered before turning towards the tall, half-angel, half-human with them. She was still addressing Shallies. "Grace told us about how you were invited into raid groups, but I didn't expect you to be acquainted with a seraph. Your history is pretty interesting, Valor'el, I must say. Since your getting exiled by Godkiller Bernadette, we've only ever heard great things about your kind."

Valor'el made a bow. "I'm honored to have helped redeem my kin. It has taken a long time, but there are now very few communities from which our kind are shunned away. I hope that soon, they too, will look upon us with favor."

"I'll take your Bacon Breakfast with Fried Rice, please," Ben ordered before joining the conversation. "That reminds me, we did have a stray seraph incident about a week ago."

Shallies took their orders and worked in the kitchen, but she kept an ear open to their discussion.

"Ah, yes," Valor'el started. "That's exactly why I'm here. After Lady Shallies heard the news, she sent me a message. I'm taking advantage of her hospitality until we can retrieve the stray seraph."

Good, he didn't forget. They were keeping Arun'dul's situation and condition a secret still. They wanted to keep it that way until the seraph woke up, and after they had decided what to do with him.

Valor'el continued to entertain questions from the couple. Despite claiming that they were no longer interested in adventuring, the two were quite curious to know what sort of adventures and quests the seraph had gone through to achieve such power. He didn't mind sharing his Classes and adventures. And with a subtle permission, he even shared some information regarding the Divine Wars he had participated in when Shallies still carried the name Godkiller Bernadette.

Breakfast for the couple was served by the time the seraph was done telling stories. Since he already ate, Valor'el excused himself for a while to check on the training adventurers outside.

"Those are some mighty stories under his belt, right there," Ben commented. "Can't believe everything Catelyn told us was true."

"Godkiller Bernadette," Marisa sighed. "Despite her name, she seems like a kind and hardworking person. Can't imagine what sort of things she's endured to get where she is now. Ageless and peerless, no doubt beautiful too. Must be lonely, and yet, she must carry on."

Shallies fought a sudden panic. She almost said, 'thank you' without thinking about it. Apple giggled, hiding behind her master's back to avoid looking suspicious.

With a smile, Shallies continued serving them. The Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese was already her staple at this point. She found the right blend of the local ingredients and had successfully made consistent results from them. She had also finalized her price for this one. At 4 bits each, but at a discounted 7 bits on a combination.

About the Bacon Breakfast with Fried Rice, however, she was still a little shaky on keeping it on the menu. Sure, it was a simple yet effective dish: egg fried rice, two thick strips of bacon, and a fried egg. She had also added optional sauces to choose from. The issue was that she hadn't had enough feedback on it yet. Not to mention that the price, which was 5 bits, was just an estimate for now.

Nonetheless, the couple ate their food happily. They even shared with each other, and they had nothing bad to say about their meals. Soon after, as promised, Valor'el returned as they were enjoying their free coffee.

"I think we can import these beans," Marisa said to Shallies while acknowledging the seraph's presence. "Ready to hear about your future cattleblinks?"

"Yes, please." Valor'el blinked. "Cattleblinks?"

"Cowblinks are females, bullblinks are males." The businesswoman shrugged. "Shouldn't be too surprising, yes?"

"I guess not," Valor'el and Shallies said at the same time.

"I am getting a variety, then?" the seraph asked. "I would very much like to slowly grow their numbers as an additional source of produce for Avel Paradise."

"Of course," Ben replied. "I should warn you, though. Caring for such moody creatures isn't for the faint of heart. You must have capable Farmers who can shepherd magical creatures. Our seller will give you specific instructions to care for them, and you'll need to let them acclimate to their new ranch first before you can even do anything with them. Not to mention the price."

"I'm ready to invest," Valor'el said, proclaiming confidently. "Both time and money. I may not be a Farmer, but I do know some who are quite capable. How many am I able to acquire, and for how much?"

"Three mature cowblinks, and two young ones. One mature bullblink, and a young one. I can give you a breakdown, but the going total we were given is 25,000 bits for all of them."

Valor'el didn't even bother haggling. "Sounds like a deal to me. Though, I must say, I might not be finalizing the purchase until I can find my missing seraph. He is a priority over the cattleblinks. If I need to put a deposit now to reserve them, I'm willing to do so,"

"I'll let our seller know. Any estimates on how long it might take?" Ben asked.

On this, the seraph turned to Shallies, who had been content with just listening the entire time. She shrugged. "I'm only letting you stay for as long as you want, I have no idea when you'll find him."

Her words were clear despite the white lie. At the very least, she would let Arun'dul stay for as long as needed, until the seraph woke up. At this point, his condition was now too detrimental for her to just ignore. The longer he stayed asleep, the more dangerous and sinister the problem would become.

Their dead god might not be around anymore, but something else might be causing this problem now.

There were questions that needed to be answered, starting from why the poor seraph lost his way in the first place. She had a vague guess as to why he chose to escape, rather than surrender to the authorities, but it would be better to hear it straight from his mouth.

"Hopefully, not longer than a month," Valor'el said, finally. "I wouldn't want to impose too much on Lady Shallies' hospitality, though it might be too late for that."

"I could use a taste tester anyways." Shallies dismissed the seraph's modesty. "In any case, I would like to make my own investment with regards to the cattleblinks."

"Yes, Lady Shallies?" Marisa said, smiling. "It does sound pretty fancy."

"Please. I prefer just Shallies. Seraphim are just too polite." Shallies sighed. "Anyway, I'm assuming you earn some commission on this, right?"

"Naturally."

"Well, I'm after the tails."

"Just the tails?"

"Your seller…?"

"We'll introduce our seller when the time comes," Marisa clarified. "Not that we're hiding some devious secret. It's more of a policy we have as intermediaries. Trust that we haven't told anything about you either."

"Well, in any case, I trust your seller knows how to safely and consistently harvest cowblink tails. I'm interested in the bullblink tails as well. They regrow, and have some magical properties for cooking. I would make some kind of deal with Valor'el, but Avel Paradise is pretty far away. He can find his own business near his region."

Ben and Marisa were in deep thought. "We'll see what we can arrange. Do you want a test sample for now, or a full order?"

"A sample will do for now. About five tails, I'd say."

"Gotcha."

The group then continued discussing more business. Shallies asked for more ingredients, in which Marisa either confirmed whether they already had them in stock, or if they were willing to import them. Ben had more questions for Valor'el, who happily obliged.

It was about an hour before lunch time when Shallies decided to prepare lunch. But when she was about to start, Tayin came knocking from the backdoor.

"It's Grace," she said, gasping for air. "She's in some sort of trance."

Immediately, Shallies, Apple, and Valor'el left the tavern, with Tayin, Ben, and Marisa on their tails. It took the first group only a few seconds to reach Grace.

She was in the middle of the field, performing a basic fighting regimen she had learned from the academy. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing as though she was asleep. Ren was there, unsure whether to wake up the half-orc or not.

"That's…" Valor'el stopped, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Shallies couldn't stop herself from smiling. After all this time, in a remote area far away from the great cities, she had finally found one.

"A rare gem in the rough."