NOVEL NEXT 108 I Need To Take A Wiz
I did up the monster donations for the Guild Hall quickly, stuffing the wings and mounting them on a nice wood plaque with a description of where the manticore wings came from. I also did up the Oneshot Bear and enchanted both to never need cleaning, to repel insects, and to make them lighter and easier to move.
It was the least I could do and it was easily done. I made the bear have an attack pose as well and Luna looked both a little scared and really turned on to see the thing in person when I delivered it to the Guild and stood it beside the bar. I caught her thoughts about severely underestimating me and regretting letting me get away. I fully agreed with her.
I stayed there for about an hour as the workers hung the wings over the notice board and bought ale for the regulars and meals for everyone, even the workers. A few of them checked out the 16 foot tall stuffed bear when they were liquored up enough and one even pretended to wrestle it. Someone made a growling sound and the guy screamed like a little girl and ran away, which made everyone laugh.
I went home after that and spent the night with the Head Succubus. Surprisingly, she didn't try to push things more than what we already have. Her penchant for enjoying the intimacy instead of just the sexual act itself, seemed to give her a lot more energy and made her very happy. She funnelled a lot of her feelings and extra energy to the rest of the succubi and they loved her all the more because of it.
The next morning, both Megumin and Darkness were okay with meeting two new prospective members. After I had explained how I met them and what had happened with the previous hero that had been brought to this world, they were downright eager to talk to Cremea and Fio and we met for breakfast at the Guild Hall.
Their classes would synchronize well with us and would round out our party that now consisted of a Crusader (Darkness), an Arch-wizard (Megumin), a Warrior (Cremea), a Thief (Fio), and an Adventurer (myself). That was 5 classes for the perfect mix for a party. The only thing we were potentially missing was a Cleric or a Rogue, and the Thief could easily upgrade to Rogue after a dozen levels or so.
If my calculations were right, a single mission with my own massive level to balance out the rest of the party, would give her the new option if she wanted to chose it. Then again, maybe she would upgrade Thief into either Master Thief or Infiltrator.
Of course, the second option would eventually upgrade her class into Assassin, the same as the advanced Rouge class, and that route could benefit her in several different ways. I wasn't going to tell her what to do, however. It was her choice and she blushed a little when I told her that. She had been used to Kyoyo telling her what to do for so long that she was embarrassed to realize she didn't have to let the hero make all the decisions.
We all needed to get new equipment, too. Darkness put in her requests to the blacksmiths, like she usually did when she wrecked her armor. Instead of her family footing the bill like usual, she handled it herself. It was one of the only times she didn't regret having her own money to spend on things like that.
Her family was happy for her, mostly because she was now independently wealthy and her father was one of the most influential members of the local nobility, which meant their own worth within the town rose up for having a well known adventurer in the family. It was no surprise to anyone when he was elevated to the position of Lord of Axel.
The problem came when the contract the man had arranged with the previous Lord of Axel to marry off his daughter to the other man's son. Since it hadn't been enacted yet, and he was now the new lord, there was no way that he was going to allow his daughter to fulfill that contract and marry one of her brothers.
Thankfully, because of his new position and his veto power, he cancelled that particular contract. Both Darkness and her still single little brother were quite relieved about that. Darkness showed up at the Tower that evening and spent a lot of time with the succubi, then she entered my room with the Head Succubus that night.
Darkness was almost timid as the Head Succubus slowly stripped off the nightgown Darkness wore. Her blush was epic as she climbed into the bed and under the covers. She admitted that she had never laid with a man before and had no experience with it, despite how everyone knew about her fetish and teased her about it.
Both the Head Succubus and I took our time and did our best to show Darkness the joys of normal sex. It was quite the experience for her, considering how much the Head Succubus could get off on fulfilling people's fantasies, because this was not about doing that. This was about loving a woman and showing her that there was a time and a place for fetishes.
Having that kind of excitement all the time would either cheapen its value or inure you against it and you would have to raise the stakes more and more to get the same satisfaction. Once it was explained to Darkness, she fully agreed that she had been taking more dangerous tasks in order to get that same little thrill of being dominated by the monsters.
With that understanding, the Head Succubus and I made her come a lot before the three of us drifted off to sleep. In the morning, we did it again, to her surprise and enjoyment. When we went to the kitchen for breakfast, we met Megumin there and she had a bright red blush on her face. I didn't comment about it and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and went to work on cooking breakfast for everyone.
The normal chatter happened during the meal as the rest of the succubi joined us, just like every morning, and both Darkness and Megumin relaxed. What happened in bed usually stayed there and having normal relations was okay in everyone's opinion, so there was no need to be embarrassed about it.
After breakfast, Darkness, Megumin and I met up with Cremea and Fio in the lobby of the tower. They were dressed in appropriate attire for the colder months, including nice warm winter coats, and the five of us left the tower to check in with the blacksmiths to add more armor pieces for Cremea to wear.
She tried to protest that she didn't really need it and I told her that I was getting them for her anyway to enchant them myself, because I wanted her to be protected and she couldn't refuse. She blushed and nodded, clearly not used to having someone actually taking care of her and caring about her welfare.
Our next stop was the magic shop that Luna recommended to Megumin when she asked about a new staff as a magic focus. Since it was my first time going to such an establishment, I was fully prepared to be awed and shocked at what someone in an adventuring world would have for sale to the average adventurer in a starter city.
Almost as soon as the door was opened, all my hopes were dashed. I could feel the twisted nature of everything inside and I mentally sighed at already being disappointed in whatever might be there. I started to feel bad about it, mostly because I couldn't detect any redeeming qualities in any of the enchantments I could detect. I didn't even need to use any spells to figure that out.
“Good morning!” A cheery voice said from across the room and we all turned to see a large-chested woman wearing a practically skintight purple dress. Her long brown hair was a little unkempt and partially covered her face and one of her eyes.
Maybe that was why she couldn't tell she was selling junk? She couldn't really see it? I asked myself and then I felt it. My recently acquired perk after defeating the undead Demon King General, Belail. Blessing of the Dead let me detect undead within my range, which was a little off. My range was huge and I didn't detect anything until I was about ten feet away from her.
I managed to not slap myself on the forehead for being so stupid. Of course she had deflection and anti-detection spells up. No one else knew she was an undead and she was using magic to hide that fact. It made me wonder if it was an enchantment on the business or something she wore. Then again, she was an undead and probably enchanted one of her bones.
“What can I help... you with... today?” Wiz haltingly said as her eyes locked onto mine.
I could feel the blessing trying to do its work. I knew her. I knew all of her. Her desires, her dreams, what she did to become what she was, what she gave up to stay alive and to save her friends, and her deal with the Demon King.
I walked over to her and she walked around the counter to stand in front of me. Wiz was only 5 foot 3 inches and I was 5 foot 10 inches, so she had to look way up to keep eye contact.
“What... who are you?” Wiz asked me, her voice full of wonder. Her hands reached up and rested on my shirt-covered chest.
I couldn't resist what I said next as I hugged her and let my magic fill her to empower her. “Your salvation.”
Wiz gasped as she started to glow. Her eyes widened as her hair floated up out of her way and she started to float. I let her slip slowly out of my embrace and slid my hands down her arms and held onto her hands as her body hovered and glowed brighter.
Surprisingly, none of the others said a thing as Wiz's glow became so bright that it was almost blinding, then it changed to gold and was sucked into her body. Instead of disintegrating and destroying her undead flesh, she was converted into a living being once more.
As the glow faded, she lowered back down to the floor and her beaming smile was infectious. I returned it and she started humming and kicking her feet in a little dance.
“You did it! You really did it!” Wiz said and hummed as she led me in a waltz.
I started humming along with her and we danced around her little shop. Surprisingly, the others started clapping and Cremea tapped her foot along. It was cute and soon Megumin was swinging around us and Wiz let me go and grabbed Fio. I pulled Megumin in close and we kept dancing, then Darkness and Cremea joined us.
I took several things out of my storage and shared some food and drink. They added to the party and we had a grand old time spending the next half an hour celebrating Wiz becoming human again. She introduced herself to the others and to me, not that I needed her to.
With the party over, she showed us around her shop and told us about the verifiable heap of crap she had for sale. Who wanted to buy an enchanted toilet seat that only makes pee smell better and makes poop smell worse? Wouldn't the reverse be much better? Oh, and it curses you with the runs for no reason.
Everything she had for sale had a small benefit and a huge drawback. Whoever was selling her these things was making a fortune, because she was a complete airhead about business. I didn't try to mention that, because I didn't want to make her feel bad about being so gullible, not right after making her so happy about regaining her humanity.
I didn't try to alter or remove any of the enchantments, either. They had some kind of failsafe to stop anyone from fixing them, which I had to assume was also part of the curse enchantment. Even wiping them completely would make the things explode, implode, or dissolve into a melted mess and probably killing whomever used them and maybe those around them.
The original enchanter must be a real asshole to make Wiz sell so many potential bombs. Of course, once I had that thought, I had another that was a logical conclusion from that. It would be horrible if it was true, however.
“Wiz, dear.” I said when the tour was over and she blushed as she gave me her full attention. “You have an exclusive contract with the enchanter to only sell his things, don't you?”
“Oh, yes! He insisted. He said he didn't want anyone else having their things mixed up with his own and stealing his fame.” Wiz said, happily.
The other four girls cursed for me and saved me the trouble. They knew what that meant just as much as I did.
“So, how much money have you lost since you started buying his... ahem... beneficial products?” I asked her.
Wiz lost the happy smile and looked embarrassed. “I... um... don't really know the exact number...” She said in a soft voice and trailed off into silence.
A lot then. I thought instead. “Well, there's only one thing you can do.”
Wiz perked up and gave me a hopeful look.
“Close the store. It ends the exclusive contract because you can't sell his things anymore.” I told her.
“I can't do that!” Wiz exclaimed. “It's my only source income besides sanctifying the graveyard every week and letting the souls of the dead move on.”
I gave the girls a look and they nodded. Wiz was soon surrounded and Darkness, Megumin, Cremea, and Fio reminded her that she wasn't making any money and that she would have to close the store anyway when all of her savings were gone.
Wiz started to cry and complained in hushed whispers that running a magic store was her dream. That was when I stepped in and told her we could fix her dream if she would let us. The girls nodded and patted her back and arms in encouragement as I hugged her.
“Will you really?” Wiz asked.
“Of course. You're a member of our party now. We're not going to let you suffer.” I said.
“Wh-what?” Wiz asked, her eyes wide.
“You're human again, Wiz. I have a feeling that all your old skills have become active again and your adventurer's card needs to be updated.” I told her and she trembled in my arms.
“But... but, I... I was...” Wiz stammered.
“I know.” I said and she looked up at my face and I let her see that I really did know who she was. “You're not that anymore. As soon as we fix your business, your life will be back on track and you can stop pretending to be happy and actually become happy.”
Tears flowed out of her eyes and she hugged me tightly and let it all out. All her frustration, years of worrying about being caught, and the things she had to do as one of the Demon King's generals.
“Shh, it's okay.” I said and held her tenderly. The girls huddled around us and hugged her, too.
“Th-thank you.” Wiz said when she calmed down and wiped at her wet face. “I mean it. Thank you.”
I let her go and motioned to the front door. “I'll put up a closed sign, you grab the paperwork for both the contract and the business, and we'll head over to the guild to take care of everything.”
“O-okay.” Wiz said and went into the back room. We all saw the small cot she had there and what little possessions she owned. She took out a small metal box from under the cot and came back out. “I'm ready.”
The six of us left the business and I closed and locked the door, put up a large banner across the whole storefront saying it was closed and out of business. All of the people on the street and nearby that saw it, commented that they were surprised she had stayed open this long because she never sold anything.
Wiz had a sad face the whole time we walked and after we entered the Guild Hall. She tried to not let it show and it didn't work. Luna behind the teller booth gave her a sad smile in return. I explained what had been happening and Luna took the seller's contract, the business contract, and Wiz's deed to the building.
After a quick check, it was zoned as a business only and couldn't be converted into a house for her, not even temporarily. Wiz let out a single sob and nodded.
“I'll buy it from you, Wiz.” I offered and she gasped.
“You... you can't! It's... it was...”
“I don't care how much it is. It's worth any price to make you smile again.” I reassured her and she hugged me.
“I'll handle that right now.” Luna said and cancelled the business contract for Wiz and refunded her registration fee and the business taxes for the rest of the year. Once that was done, she easily voided the seller's contract, because it could only apply to someone that owned a business.
With both important things out of the way, Luna handled the sale between us. I didn't blink at the 1.5 million Eris price for a lot that was a quarter of the size of my own and twice the price. Businesses were taxed a lot heavier than land owners and I quickly found out the difference.
I was also limited in the height I could make the building to only three stories. They really did want to keep the small town aesthetic to the businesses in town and I agreed. I would only add on another story and I would keep the same outside look. I was going to expand the hell out of the inside, though. I had a lot of things to sell after the few worlds I had been to.
I paid the taxes for the rest of the year, too. Not surprisingly, it was more for a new business that was just being established, since newer ones tended to fail and they wanted their money upfront in case they didn't last. Mine was not going to have that problem at all.
“She's joining the Heroes Of Axel party.” I told Luna and nodded at Wiz.
“I'll need your adventurer's card to add it to the party officially.” Luna said and Wiz timidly handed it over.
Luna's eyes showed a bit of surprise at the card not being updated in a long time. She started to run it through the process of sorting the experience and assigning the learned skills for the first time in years, only to gasp and stare at the thing. Her eyes went to Wiz, to the card, to me, back to Wiz, then to the card again.
“Why don't we all get our cards updated?” I asked to prompt Luna to finish with Wiz's card. She did so and handed it back to a blushing Wiz. “Megumin, you first.”
“The best is always first!” Megumin said and took her victory pose, then handed the card over. She completely missed Wiz's epic blush, because she realized that she had been first and Megumin had inadvertently complimented her.
“A... another 30 levels for you.” Luna whispered and finished assigning the experience and skill points.
“Wow, really? That's awesome!” Megumin shouted and took her card back. She didn't bother trying to pretend she wasn't doing what she always did with her points and put them all into her main spell.
Darness went next and did the same thing, only with her Defence skill. I didn't tell her to give herself some points in any other skills, since she was right. She couldn't hit the side of a barn if she was standing right next to it.
Cremea went next and she gasped when Luna told her she gained 65 levels. Her hands shook as she accepted the card back and she stared at it like it was made of solid gold and she didn't want to touch it and potentially ruin its value.
Fio was worse, because her Thief class had lower XP requirements and she had gained 79 levels. That was a lot of skill points for a single update and she couldn't get her hands to work as she tried and failed to take her card back from Luna.
“Let me help.” I said and wrapped my hand around hers and held her card for her.
Fio's red face was almost the same color as her hair and she leaned against me and stared at the card.
“You shared your experience with us.” Cremea said, her voice full of disbelief. Her green ponytail bobbed slightly as she looked up at my face. “We only joined your party yesterday and you already started sharing?”
“You weren't lying.” Fio whispered as well and hugged me.
I put an arm over Cremea's shoulders and hugged her, too. “I told you I would.”
“But... but...” Both girls said at the same time.
“I didn't expect to deal with a second Demon King general so quickly, though.” I said and gave them each a quick kiss on the cheek. “It worked out, so now everyone's happy.”
Wiz gave me a sad look and didn't say anything.
I barely held in my chuckle as I spoke. “I have a new business to open soon and I need to hire someone to sell my wares. I wonder where I can find someone with such special skills?”
Wiz let out a squeal of happiness and jumped up to hug my neck. “Thank you! Thank you!”
Darkness and Megumin laughed at the short woman hanging off me and her little feet kicked backwards as if she could get higher if she kicked harder.
I let my chuckle out and let Fio and Cremea go to hug Wiz properly and lifted her up to where she wanted to go. She looked into my eyes and let me see how much she appreciated what I did for her, then she leaned forward and kissed me deeply.