Chapter 117

When I opened the door, I was surprised to notice that there was only one visitor, a blonde girl whose body was hidden under a practical thick linen shirt and loose leather pants combo, like she was another craftsman. A figure I had seen from the distance as they were leaving the princess’ cart, though that time, she was wearing a fancy dress.

One of the handmaidens.

A moment of silence stretched as we both processed the unexpected scene. She was clearly expecting to meet with Oeyne, and I was expecting to find a bigger procession than just one of the handmaidens, carrying a wrapped bundle. “I’m here for a meeting,” she said, trying to look unperturbed.

“She’s out for an emergency, but she should be back in a few minutes,” I said even as I stepped to the side, allowing her to pass uninterrupted. “And I can help if it’s an emergency.”

“No, it can wait,” she said. She stepped inside, her eyes examining the room in a systematic manner, but she managed to hide that behind a casual glance. That glance alone was enough to tell me that I was dealing with another infiltration expert. Her choice of clothing, clearly prepared to impress Oeyne at first glance, showing they had done their homework.

Too bad for them that my presence was not something they could have prepared for, which meant that they were playing from a significantly disadvantageous position. Just by sending an agent with such extensive preparation, they had given me one critical piece of information. Whatever they want Oeyne repairing was not just an excuse for them to bring an army to the school, but something they genuinely wanted to achieve.

It was critical information for me to determine my next steps.

Well, considering they came with a small army, and my attention was split between two other critical projects, the game board was already weighing toward their side, so I was happy to get every scrap of advantage I could.

While she prioritized examining the room first, I decided on a temporary personality to pick up, so, when she turned to face me once more, she caught me looking at her ass, only to jump back to her face with a blush, giving the impression that I could be easily manipulated through seduction.

It was intentional. I wanted to enjoy passively as a sexy blonde tried to manipulate me through seduction. It would be a nice change of pace.

She proved that she was a professional when it came to the game when she looked deeply into my eyes even as her posture shifted. It wasn’t a major shift, but she leaned forward a bit more, her neck tilted vulnerably, one of her hands on her hips to accentuate the curves of her otherwise lithe body. With her blonde hair beautifully circling her innocent yet beautiful face, she was truly a perfect weapon.

“So, who exactly are you?” she said with a tingly tone even as she took a step forward, cutting the distance just a bit.

“I’m one of the special blacksmiths of the headmistress,” I said even as I puffed my chest pridefully, giving the impression that I was trying to impress her. “She had decided that a task assigned by the princess deserves the best attention.”

“Oh, really?” she said, failing to hide a calculative flash going through her expression, and a slight amount of panic. They clearly didn’t appreciate the headmistress knowing about the task, which was why I decided to steal another shy glance of her tits, selling the idea that I was easy to manipulate.

[+1 Subterfuge]

She might be good, but I was better, so it wasn’t entirely surprising when, after sending a thoughtful glance toward the door, she decided to stay inside. “Of course,” I said proudly, puffing my chest. “I’m the strongest mage when it comes to magical analysis and mana capacity.”

“How impressive,” she murmured, even as she relaxed even more. She wasn’t completely convinced yet, but my excessive mana capability and magical analysis not only served their needs perfectly —their own capabilities in the area were clearly a mess— but also reduced the chance of having other abilities to trick her.

Too bad for her that I was playing in a completely different class.

“Thanks,” I murmured even as I looked shyly. “And may I learn the name of such a beautiful lady?”

“It’s Delia,” she said, then continued without taking a break. “I have been fascinated by forging since I was a child. Would you mind showing me an example of your skills?”

“It would be my pleasure,” I said with an enthusiastic smile as I walked toward the other side of the forge, where Oeyne was still trapped in a cabinet, suffering under the tyrannical grasp of the buzzing spell. “Any preference?”

“Maybe a dagger,” she said.

“As you wish, milady,” I said even as I grabbed an ingot, a magically-treated steel block that represented a small fortune, showing that just how my poor decision-making had become as I was grasped by the desire to impress her. Then, I flared my mana, saturating the steel with my magic, the excess enough to blanket the room.

Strength: 41 Charisma: 53

Precision: 35 Perception: 37

Agility: 35 Manipulation: 40

Speed: 34 Intelligence: 44

Endurance: 34 Wisdom: 46

HP: 5370 / 5370 Mana: 6600 / 6600 ]

SKILLS

Master Melee [100/100]

Master Tantric [100/100]

Master Biomancy [100/100]

Master Elemental [100/100]

Master Arcana [100/100]

Master Subterfuge [100/100]

Expert Speech [75/75]

Advanced Craft [50/50]

PERKS

Mana Regeneration

Skill Share

Empowerment (1/1)

Teleportation

COMPANIONS

[Cornelia - Level 21/25]

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