"So should I begin with the discussion or the test?" he asked, smiling towards the threedies.


    "I could already imagine what the discussion would be about," June said, narrowing her eyes. "What is the test for?"


    "Of course, to measure my charisma," he grinned.


    June shot him a measured look and then shook her head.


    "I''m being serious," Gale cut in. "You guys probably didn''t feel any of the mour boost because I kept it all sealed."


    June frowned, while Dawn looked between the others to judge their reactions.


    "Oh, it''s a celestial thing, huh?" Agnes nodded. "I guess I did feel something different about it, which I couldn''t point a finger at... but now I can..."


    "Before you judge me for any of that, know this," Gale sighed. "I have not even used 1% of it."


    "Well, even if you do use a hundred per cent of your mour, I don''t see myself throwing myself at you."


    June red at her after Agnes finished.


    "We''ll see," he snorted. He let the [Cloak of Void Radiance] manifest over his body, currently in a thin white and gold regal camouge. He had used the cloak''s warding effect to seal all his aura and mour, but now, for the testing, he turned off its effect and only used his own control to keep the boosted charisma at a moderate noble level.


    "How is it now?"


    "I don''t see any change..." Agnes muttered, zing over his form. "The cloak looks good on you though."


    Gale let free a tenth of the mour, unsure what else he needed to do. It was apletely different field, considering he had no tingling feeling in the back of his mind that he had tried anything like this before.


    "Oh~" Agnes reacted, blinking at him. "I don''t know what happened, but it''s like... I cannot describe it. I can still see it''s you, but I feel something more..."


    "It''s like you''re glowing..." June came forward to touch his cheeks.


    Dawn nodded


    and mostly kept her eyes down.


    "If it''s all you''ve got, then you have no chance of getting our panties wet," Agnes blurted with augh.


    "I don''t need to get your panties wet for this," he snorted and turned to Dawn. "What do you think?"


    "I..." Dawn lifted her head to give him a proper look. "You feel more perfectly aligned with the Way, which makes you look more ideal to others..."


    Even though she gave a magically sound answer, her cheeks were blushed in pink as she quickly looked down, as though it wasn''t proper to look at him.


    "Well, so long as it''s enough to enable me to leave a good impression on someone, it''s good enough," he said out loud, letting out a breath of relief, even though he didn''t need to breathe. Some habits just didn''t wear off within a few days. "I was fearing I had to learn ways to manipte the ethereal mour to my advantage..."


    d to see it wasn''t the case!


    "Who are you trying to impress?" June asked, unaware that she was sping his palm. "I already noticed you''re very good at that with how you keep all your students entranced in your teaching like a spell..."


    "That''s easier because the students are receiving something from me," Gale exined. "But the calction bes a little tricky if it is me on the receiving end."


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "I have called some people from Dragonforge, nning on getting a big deal out of them..."


    "I''m assuming there would be adying to discuss this?" she snorted.


    "Well, Miss Arden is my only contact with Dragonforge," he said.


    June punched him softly on the chest.


    "Hmm, I haven''t checked how this boosted charisma works on a man," Gale muttered.


    "Well, you have used it enough on us, you can quit it now," Agnes said with a frown.


    "Nah," he shook his head. "I n on keeping this up to get myself familiarised with it. I also feel freer this way."


    She groaned. "So you want to—" Agnes stopped herself beforepleting the sentence. "What do you have to discuss?"


    "Well, mostly on my future ns and about how you can absorb dark essence the most efficient way," he paused. "Hmm, it would take some time to get through that all, and I have a ss. Should we do this after I''m done? Meanwhile, you guys can read through my scribblings to get yourselves familiarised with my ns."


    He left his notebook on the table and crept to the guest house. The women exchanged nces and watched his figure leaving. Agnes looked like she wanted toin about something, but didn''t. Dawn was silent and serene as ever, while June was the mostpetitive.


    *****


    As he hadn''t experienced the effect of the boosted mour on the same sex or on a mass, Gale kept the mour at a moderate rate for the ss.


    Within a couple of minutes of observing the ss, he could tell the mour didn''t affect men the same way it did women; in fact, he didn''t believe it affected anyone in the same way. Most of the adepts looked thoroughly amazed for no reason, and the effect didn''t wear off easily.


    Finally noticing that it was making them less attentive to what he was saying, which was counterproductive to the ss, he restricted all forms of mour.


    The ss was applying the designs into physical forms, so it took more time than usual. Most of them did well, though nothing surprised him yet. He was also getting used to Jenni''s unique way of working, and her application for the ss was rathercklustrepared to herself.


    Like every day, half of the adepts had something more to show him. They exited after getting his words on it one by one, until only Jenni remained with dozens of designs in her hand.


    "It will take some time," she said, somewhat giving him an usatory look for some reason. "If you do not have time, I can use the token..."


    "Are you angry for some reason?" he asked, taking the designs from her. Heid them over the table and pushed his Void Sense through the designs. It turned out they were all just alternative versions of the same design with various utilities added to them. "This reminds me... I forgot to tell you, but I''m nning on showing your designs to a representative of Dragonforge in a few days.


    It would be better if you could be present at the meeting."


    Jenni blinked, then her eyes widened like saucers. "I thought youpletely forgot about it," she gasped. "But to present it to Dragonforge..."


    "Why are you having cold feet?"


    "I..." She let out a weird noise, palms sped into fists. "I mean, the designs are not perfect. Yet. They might not like it and write me offpletely from their list of runesmiths to work with, and then I''ll have to go back and work for my father, beg him to take me back... He''ll be real smug about it... I can already imagine the looks..."


    "Slow down, girl," Gale chuckled. It had been so long since he had seen her feeling down on confidence and spiralling into thoughts of all the bad things that could happen to her. "At worst, Dragonforge will not give you the deal you like, but even they would like to purchase the designs."


    "Even if they do not intend to go forward with the project?" Jenni frowned.


    Gale nodded. "I''ll advise you not to sell the design... Yes, it could get you a hefty sum of wealth, but that couldn''tpare to the brand you can make with this product..."


    Jenni seemed like she couldn''t believe his words. Yes, she had imagined making it big in the runesmithing market, but never in her wildest dream had she imagined her first big design would have a shot at it.


    "Actually, it will be better if we discuss this more thoroughly," he said and stood up. "If you have nothing on your te,e with me."


    ****


    Jenni hadn''t had her breakfast yet, or eaten anythingst night, yet she wasted no moment in joining him on the way back to theke. Well, considering the hours, he probably had something cooking.


    The delicious aroma wafted in the air the moment she stepped foot in the open sanctuary the master runesmith had created on the banks of theke. Jenni licked her lips and noticed the other three women. She already hoped to see two of them, but it seemed the captain had returned as well.


    Dawn was the one who prepared the food, while the beautiful elf woman served at the table. The meal was light and nothing extravagant, but it was rich in vour and spirituality.


    "Looks like we need another te of serving," Agnesughed. "Gale has brought another girl along..."


    "I hope I''m not intruding upon you," Jenni said, even though the polite words rang hollow even to her own ears.


    "No need to act polite, girl," Agnesughed. "Politeness and reservedness actually don''t look good on you. Just be yourself, spontaneous and fun."


    Jenni smiled and nodded, though she didn''t bring out her tomboyish self. Perhaps Agnes would like it, and Dawn would understand, but she wouldn''t want to make an ass of herself in front of the high elf, who was also Warden''s partner and probably had some say in his decision making.


    Jenni sucked in a deep breath, feeling empty in her stomach. Perhaps I should fill that first.


    _____________


    The Chronicles of Gale Joseph Paul Rizzler